Krysia & Gwaine
by CharlotteBlackwood
Summary: Merlin is not the only one who can do magic in Camelot. A young girl whose true identity is known only by herself and Gaius has grown up in Camelot all her life. When Merlin moves in, she helps him adjust, joins his adventures, and has a destiny that ensures his own. Gwaine/OC, Arthur/Gwen
1. The Dragon's Call: Introductions

**A/N: Hi, everybody! Charlotte here! Yes, this is my first **_**Merlin**_** fan fiction, but I did not take on this task lightly. It's been bouncing around in my head for a very long time. I'm trying to stay as much to the actual storylines of the story as possible, with ONE VERY IMPORTANT CHANGE, which I think most if not all of you will like. :D It will also be a bit more mature than the show, obviously. Cheers!**

** -C**

Krysia stretched, trying to remember the nightmare that had come to her that night, the one she'd been having all week. It had something to do with a painful loss, something or someone she loved very much being taken from her violently.

But that could even be a memory. It had already happened sevenfold.

"Good morning, Krysia!" Gaius called from the outer room. "Up, up, up!"

She groaned, turning over and clutching the bed sheet to her face.

"I need you to take an elixir to the Lady Morgana, and Sir Leon asked to see you when you awoke."

There was nothing for it but to get up, get dressed, and get to work for the day, so Krysia crawled out of bed and whipped her chocolate brown hair up into a quick, appropriate bun. She swiftly pulled off her nightclothes and called out, "I'm up!" so that Gaius didn't walk in on her whilst she was changing in order to see if she had actually gotten out of bed or not.

The familiar scratchy quality of the uniform of castle servants at Camelot was not Krysia's favorite part of her job, although she had had a more interesting time of her job than most servants, even the ones her age. Due to Gaius's caring for her and the closeness of him to King Uther, Krysia had been a childhood friend of Leon, Arthur, and Morgana. In fact, her job as a child had been to be a playmate to the Lady Morgana, and the boys just happened to be a part of that package.

With a quick splash of water on her face, Krysia went out to Gaius's work room and took the elixir that he had set on the table beside where he was making more medicine for some other well-born person in the castle.

"Good morning," she sighed. "What's this for?"

"None of your business," Gaius said without looking up at her, carefully measuring drops of some sort of oil. "Tell Morgana to take it twice daily and then if she has flare-ups."

"Flare-ups of what?" Krysia pressed cheekily, knowing full well that he wouldn't tell her.

"Sir Leon should be getting ready for the public sentencing," Gaius said softly.

She didn't look up, clenching her fists tightly around the elixir bottle and grinding her teeth together before she realized and stopped herself.

There would be no escaping the event after all.

"I'll be on my way, then," she muttered, gliding along the familiar stone corridors, trying not to think about her nightmare or about the living nightmare she would have to stand through once more. Once she reached the Lady Morgana's chambers, she knocked, waiting for Gwen to answer the door as she always did.

"Hey," Gwen said breathlessly. "She's just waking. Did-?"

"Is that from Gaius, Krysia?" asked Morgana's friendly, surprisingly cheery voice. "I'm changing, just pass it to Gwen."

"Right," Krysia said, passing the bottle into her friend's hand. "Gaius says twice daily and in event of flare-ups."

"Thank you, of course," Morgana said. "I'm sorry I can't be more hospitable-"

"Not at all, m'Lady," Krysia replied through the door, only half teasing with the title. "I have another errand to run. I expect I shall see both of you later in the day."

The other two girls chirped their goodbyes and Krysia made her way down to the armory where Leon was pacing nervously.

"Sir Leon," she said softly, smiling at her friend. "Gaius said you wanted to see me."

He looked up at her, frowning.

"The execution..."

His hands, his usually steady hands, were shaking.

"The sentence has yet to be passed," Krysia replied slowly, although they both knew her words were empty.

There could be only one sentence for the man.

"I just wanted to see you before I... before..."

Krysia just nodded, smiling forcibly as she moved forward and straightened out his cloak a bit.

"You'll be fine," she whispered. "This can't go on forever. The Purge didn't last forever. Sorcery will not continue."

The words tasted like ash on her tongue, but they seemed to soothe Leon, and he nodded, thanking her softly, telling her how she ought to be getting to the courtyard to watch.

But it was the last place on earth she wanted to be.

She moved out to the square and watched as various people took their places, including Uther as he moved to the balcony, right where she could see his face.

Was this how it had been when he had killed them? Was this how it had felt for onlookers on that day when their blood had been shed?

She shivered, grazing the faces in the square for anyone, anyone at all, who didn't seem to think that the man deserved to die.

"The laws of Camelot," Uther began, his voice strong and clear as Krysia recalled it always being when he meted out punishments that made her stomach churn, "are very clear. There is no room for questioning what is clear, and when it is made so very clear, there is only one answer I can give. Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass."

Krysia let her fingernails dig into the palms of her hands as Uther gave the order and the man, Thomas James Collins was executed before her very eyes.

The smell of the blood in the air, the feel of her empty stomach trying to send up a breakfast that she had yet to eat, the very tension in the square as the onlookers took in the event...

It felt so disgustingly familiar.

Before she had a chance to either flash back or process fully what was before her, however, Uther's voice was filling the air once more.

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin."

Krysia's hands began to unclench as she thought with mild despair of how much extra work this festival was going to mean for her, but before she'd even taken her nails completely out of her palms, there was a wailing across the crowd from her.

An older woman, disheveled and sounding like an animal in pain, cried out above the crowd, "There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son."

"Seize her!" Uther cried and Krysia melted back against the wall, her heart pounding in her ears.

Arthur.

There was a mass of wind and smoke and when it thinned, the woman who had cried out, the mother of the dead man, was gone.

But her threat on Arthur hung on the air as the smoke that had not yet cleared.

Leon glanced over and met Krysia's eye and she shook her head, backing away along the wall, heading back into the castle, clenching and unclenching her fists, and trying to think of what might happen.

"Excuse me!" called a young man with dark hair. He looked like a country boy, a rucksack on his back and his hair disheveled. "Excuse me, miss!"

"Yes?" Krysia asked, trying not to think of the dozens of things she needed to be doing. She didn't want to be short with a stranger, no matter how busy she was.

"Can you tell me where I might find Gaius? He's the-"

"I know who he is," she said, smiling a little. "Follow me, I'm on my way there, anyway."

"Oh, great," he said lamely, smiling at her. "My name's Merlin, then, what's yours?"

"Krysia," she said automatically, leading him along the familiar pathways. "New in Camelot, then?"

"Just arrived," Merlin admitted.

She knocked on the door to Gaius's work room and led Merlin right in, moving straight across the room to the potions that had been lined up and labeled for her to deliver, not paying attention to the boy she'd just led in.

"Hello?" Merlin asked, looking around for Gaius.

Krysia turned around to find Gaius was about to fall off the bookshelf stairs he was standing on. She rushed forward, thinking to catch him, but was surprised when almost the moment after the railing broke, a mattress was underneath Gaius that hadn't been there before, breaking his fall.

For a split second, she thought she'd done it. Gaius obviously did, too, looking up at her with surprise, but she just shook her head, knowing she'd done no such thing.

Even in a panic, she would not have used magic in front of a stranger.

The past had taught her to be more careful than that, and the display in the courtyard had reminded her graphically.

"What did you just do?" Gaius asked the boy Krysia had brought in. Merlin looked to Krysia to be neither particularly sure what to say nor especially special, however with the way Gaius was looking at the boy it seemed as though he was something incredibly important and new.

"Erm," Merlin muttered, searching for some sort of answer.

"Tell me!" Gaius beseeched, his voice full of such urgency that Krysia had not heard in it since she was a very small girl.

"I - I - I have no idea what happened," Merlin finally managed to splutter, and Krysia nearly rolled her eyes at the poor response, sitting down to watch how Gaius dealt with this obviously naive novice.

"If anyone had seen that," Gaius said, glancing over at Krysia as if somehow it were her fault that this new boy had been so horribly stupid.

"Er, no!" Merlin cried. "That - that was - that was nothing to do with me. That - that was..."

"We're not stupid, Merlin, we know exactly what it was," Krysia said, smirking up at him, waving her hand and watching his expression as the mattress moved back to its original position.

"Krysia, you know better than that," Gaius chastised. "This isn't a game. And anyway, I just wanted to know where you learned to do it!"

"Nowhere," Merlin said simply.

From his earlier flustered lies, Krysia knew he must be telling the truth, but the idea was so immensely improbable that she had to try to find a way that he could have misunderstood the question.

For magic had to be learned somewhere. She would have gone mad if Gaius hadn't taught her enough to control her natural powers. And that was if she hadn't been discovered first.

"So how is it you know magic?" Gaius asked.

"I don't," Merlin said quickly.

"Where did you study? Answer me!"

The urgency was back and Krysia shivered a little.

"I-I've never studied magic or, or been taught," Merlin replied, obviously very concerned that he was going to be turned in, perhaps executed like the man Krysia had seen outside.

"Are you lying to me, boy?" Gaius spat.

"What do you want me to say?" Merlin cried.

"The truth!"

"I was born like this!"

Krysia blinked, stunned. That wasn't possible. Even she, with natural magical ability, she had to train extensively to pull off what Merlin had just done.

"That's impossible!" Gaius said, looking over at Krysia, then back at Merlin. "Who are you?"

"Oh, erm," Merlin began, pulling off his backpack. "I have this letter..."

"I don't have my glasses," Gaius said sharply, and Krysia stifled a giggle.

"I'm Merlin."

"Hunith's boy?" Gaius asked, a bit flustered and confused.

"Yes!" Merlin said, clearly grateful that he was finally recognized.

"But you're not meant to be here until Wednesday!" Gaius said, looking around for support.

Krysia cleared her throat and gave Gaius a sheepish smile before saying, "It's actually Wednesday."

"Ah, right then, you'd better put your bag in there," Gaius said, gesturing for Krysia to take his bag, which he did.

"You, you won't say anything about, erm..." Merlin looked around the room.

"Of course not," Krysia teased, levitating his bag across to the room she would be sharing with him.

"Krysia," Gaius said sternly, and her smile faded. "No, Merlin, I won't. Although, I should say, thank you."

/-/

Krysia sat down across from Gaius later that night, giving Merlin a bit of time to sit by himself in the room before bed. Gaius had just set aside the letter Merlin had given him earlier in the day and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"So, any answers in the letter?" she asked softly.

"It appears the boy is the impossible," Gaius said with a shrug. "He will need guidance, training and protection, of course, but his power has incredible lack of limitation that I can guess."

Krysia nodded, glancing at the letter.

"Everything has limits, Gaius," she said softly. "I expect you want me to show him the ropes, so to speak."

"At least be nice to the boy, Krysia," he said with a frown. "I know how you can be."

"I don't know what you mean," Krysia said loftily. "Besides, if he doesn't do anything too stupid he's going to need someone to keep him out of trouble. It's easy enough to get into around here."

Gaius pursed his lips.

"You would know," he muttered, turning back to the letter. "No teaching him magic, Krysia. You need to leave his education to me. Stick with social and work-related matters. Geography, who not to insult, things that young people need to know. Introduce him to some nice people."

"Why do you get to do all the fun bits?" Krysia asked, pouting. Gaius merely gave her a stern look, and she nodded.

"And I believe the Lady Morgana asked after this," he said, handing her a container. "So if you wouldn't mind taking it along to her?"

"Where do you expect she'll be at this time of night?" Krysia asked.

"The feast, I would imagine," Gaius said. "I'm sure you'll find her."

Krysia went down to the feast and glanced around, getting a wave and a smile from Arthur and Leon, who were having drinks together. She waved and smiled back, but then she left, unable to find Morgana. Uther passed her in the corridor on his way back to the feast and he seemed so angry, blustering along, that he didn't even see Krysia when she curtsied.

There was only one explanation of that: he'd been with Morgana.

Krysia went along slowly, looking for the dark hair of her childhood friend and found Morgana slowly making her way toward the feast with an expression of someone about to be sick.

"Lady Morgana," Krysia said, curtsying just to cheer up her friend. "Gaius told me you asked after this."

Krysia's callused hands passed the little bottle into her friend's soft, thin fingers.

"Thank you, Krysia," Morgana said, forcing a smile. "I'm sure to have nightmares tonight, what with..."

"I saw," Krysia said with a dark tone in her voice. "I blame Leon, actually. He asked after me and then all but told me to go and watch. I didn't really have much choice." She frowned. "I didn't ask Gaius, but you both recall that I gave you some of that this morning, yes? Surely you ought not double the dose..."

"I consulted Gaius first," Morgana said with a shrug. "This one's diluted, only a third of the strength. He said it shouldn't be enough to cause me any sort of harm."

The girls both nodded silently for a moment. Then, Krysia worked up the boldness to ask what was on her mind.

"I saw the king going down the corridor all in a huff," she said slowly. "I don't suppose that had anything to do with you."

Morgana's smile turned a bit cold, but she said, "Oh, he's upset with me because I want no part in celebrating the death of an innocent man."

Krysia raised her eyebrows.

"He did break the law, Morgana," she said gently. "Technically, that's all it takes to be guilty."

"Guilty of a crime, yes," Morgana muttered, checking around the hall for listening ears. "But a crime worthy of execution? Hardly. Who did he hurt?"

"I don't know, m'lady," Krysia said honestly. "I'm not aware of the details of the case."

"Well, let me enlighten you," Morgana said dryly. "He hurt no one. He was healing a sick cow from his herd and a neighbor saw. Hardly deserving of death."

Krysia hesitated. She certainly agreed with Morgana, but if she said as much now and later had some sort of falling out with her friend, whose moods changed like the wind, her own head could be lost in the same way. On the other hand, she had to say something.

With a deep breath, she finally said, "I suppose I wouldn't have made the same judgment, but it's really not my place to decide. Remember, Morgana, close as we are, I'm just a servant."

"That doesn't mean you're not human," Morgana argued for what seemed like the hundredth time. "It doesn't mean you don't have a right to make decisions, have opinions."

"Oh, making and having are one thing," Krysia replied with a wry smile. "It's the voicing and acting that cause all the trouble. Better to keep my head down unless there's something utterly important in the balance, like my neck, for example."

Morgana shook her head, glancing out the window.

"I certainly hope you never meet such a decision, then," Morgana whispered, and without another word the friends parted.


	2. The Dragon's Call: Krysia in Action

Krysia was already beginning her breakfast the following morning when Merlin dragged himself out of bed and into the physician's chambers where Gaius was readying things for the day. She did her best not to smirk at the boy's bedraggled appearance.

"I got you water," Gaius said, frowning at Merlin. "You didn't wash last night."

"Sorry," Merlin muttered, looking over at Krysia, who had to work very hard to hide the way her lips tipped up with amusement.

"Help yourself to breakfast," Gaius said, gesturing to the watery porridge set out for Merlin, who looked at it with a bit of discomfort, glancing over at Krysia's more hardy breakfast. She just smiled at him as she swallowed the last of her bacon.

Gaius knocked over the bucket of water and Merlin stood, stopping the bucket in mid-air with magic, just as he had done with the mattress the day before. Gaius gasped and Krysia plucked the bucket out of mid-air and set it back on the table, well aware as Gaius and Merlin looked at each other that it would go tumbling to the floor otherwise and leave a mess that somehow she would end up having to clean.

"How did you do that?" Gaius demanded. "Did you incant a spell in your mind?"

"I don't know any spells," Merlin insisted, and Krysia had to admit, despite the impossibility, she was beginning to believe him. She'd heard strange voices in her sleep the night before, and the only thing that had changed was Merlin's presence.

"So what did you do?" Gaius pressed. "There must be something."

"It just happens," Merlin said with a shrug, and Krysia finished her breakfast, scooting the bucket just a bit more onto the table for safety.

She would not be held responsible for messes made if things were going to be 'just happening' around her.

"Well, we'd better keep you out of trouble," Gaius sighed. "You can assist Krysia in her duties to me until I can find you a paid job."

Krysia was about to protest, but she knew there was no point to it. Gaius was determined that Krysia show Merlin the ropes, keep him in line. Judging by his readiness to use magic, she doubted anyone would be able to pull that off.

Gaius handed Krysia a pouch and a small bottle.

"Hollyhock and feverfew for Lady Percival," Gaius told her. "And this is for Sir Olwin. Remember, he's blind as a weevil, so be sure to tell him-"

"Not to drink it all at once, yes," Krysia said with a smile. "I recall."

"And here," Gaius said, thrusting a plate with a sandwich at Merlin, who looked relieved not to have to eat the porridge. Krysia giggled as Merlin took the sandwich. "Off you go!" Gaius said to the pair of them. "Oh, and Merlin, I hardly think we need to tell you that any practice of magic will get you killed. And it would likely throw Krysia into suspicion as well, and we don't want that."

Merlin nodded solemnly, and Krysia led the way to Lady Percival's rooms.

"Had you met anyone, when you got here, or was I the first person you'd actually talked to?" Krysia asked, strolling along the familiar corridors.

"Ah, no, you were certainly the first person I met," Merlin said, glancing around as they walked. "I caught the execution, though."

"Lovely," she said, wrinkling her nose slightly. "I didn't even want to see that. I got more or less forced into it by a friend."

"You have friends?" Merlin asked. "I mean - sorry, that was rude. I just meant, are there many people our age working here?"

"A few," Krysia sighed. "But the friend doesn't work here, at least, not as you mean. He's a knight."

"A knight?" Merlin gaped. "You're friends with a knight?"

She raised an eyebrow at him as she knocked sharply on the door.

"Sorry, that was rude again," he muttered, and the door swung open.

"Hello, Lady Percival," Krysia said in her sweetest voice, such a change from the tone she'd taken with Merlin that he looked at her sharply. "I have the hollyhock and feverfew Gaius gathered for you."

"Oh, thank you, dear," the woman said in a kindly voice. "I saw that you were at the execution the other day. A terrible business."

"Yes, m'lady," Krysia said in her most servile voice. "Sir Leon asked me to be there, otherwise I don't think I would have gone. I hate bloodshed."

"Understandable, my dear," Lady Percival cooed as one talks to a sick dog. She glanced at Merlin. "And he is?"

"Gaius is trying to find him a job, m'lady," Krysia said with a smile. "He is new in Camelot. He'll be helping me until then, and learning his way around. If you hear tell of a position that's open, you will pass it along, won't you? Anything at all would do, really."

"Oh, of course, dear!" Lady Percival said eagerly, looking Merlin over. "You know, I thought the stables were looking someone to muck them more regularly, but I'd have to check."

Merlin paled and Krysia had to try very hard not to laugh.

"I'll look into it, Lady Percival," Krysia insisted. "Don't you trouble yourself with such legwork."

When they made their way off to Sir Oswin, Merlin asked nervously, "You won't make me get that stable job, right? You were just joking?"

Krysia had been joking, but she decided it was important to make one thing perfectly clear.

"Especially when you're new, Merlin," she said firmly, "it doesn't do to turn one's nose up at work. It's hard to stay employed in Camelot. Everyone wants to live here. Not everyone can. Take what you're given, work very hard, and maybe you'll get something better if you find half a chance. No, it probably won't be the stables, but don't expect to be the king's personal servant just because you're living in the castle."

They reached Sir Oswin's door and Krysia knocked.

"Sir Oswin?" she said gently to the blind man. "I have Gaius's medicine for you."

With a bit of difficulty with his blind reaching, Krysia managed to press it into the man's hand after a moment and before she had a chance to remind him not to drink it all at once, the man had downed the bottle. She blinked at him as the door closed behind him.

"Is that going to be okay?" Merlin asked nervously.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine," Krysia said, desperately trying to remember what all was in that particular potion. "Probably just a waste of ingredients."

"Probably?" Merlin prodded.

"He'll be fine," Krysia bluffed, trying to be sure to remember later to tell Gaius what had happened, when Merlin wasn't on her tail.

They walked out into the sun where the training grounds were, as Krysia's next step was making sure Leon and Arthur had no need for her assistance for the day before checking in on Gwen, Morgana, and Uther. Merlin tagged along at her ankles, and Krysia's eyes hit a sight that made her blood turn with the assurance of trouble.

"Oh, no," she sighed.

"What?" Merlin asked, frowning at her.

"Nothing," she muttered, moving forward onto the training grounds with purpose as Arthur continued to throw knives at the target the serving boy, Morris, was carrying. "Just Morris being used as a living joke again."

"Who's Morris?" Merlin asked, and Krysia pointed at the boy who was scurrying away as knives hit the target, trying to make it to the far wall.

"Do you want some moving target practice?" Arthur said, with his knights laughing in the background, and poor Morris dropped the target, which rolled to a stop at Merlin's feet. To Krysia's shock and horror, Merlin put his foot on the target, keeping the flushed and scurrying Morris from picking it up.

"Hey, come on, that's enough," Merlin said, and Krysia could have sworn she'd felt her heart stop in her chest.

On occasion, Krysia had given Arthur a peace of her mind, but only when he was in a good mood, only when it was absolutely necessary, and certainly never in front of anyone at all, especially his knights. She caught Leon's eye and blushed a bit, hoping he'd come to her rescue, but he didn't move.

"What?" Arthur said, clearly not believing what was happening any more than Krysia.

"You've had your fun, my friend," Merlin said, and Krysia actually groaned.

"Merlin, please, just go," she said softly.

"Do I know him, Krysia?" Arthur asked sharply.

"No, he's... no," she muttered, looking down and hoping she wouldn't get in trouble to boot. Merlin was hard on those he didn't like, but twice as hard on friends who upset him.

To her shock and horror, Merlin held out his hand.

"So I don't know you," Arthur said dryly, staring at the hand in front of him like it was a piece of wood he wasn't sure what he was going to do with yet.

"No," Merlin conceded.

"Yet you called me 'friend,'" Arthur said, and Krysia knew he was looking at her again, but she was determinedly staring at a spot on her shoe that she would have to clean later, as soon as she was out of this terrible mess she'd gotten dragged into against her will. What would she tell Gaius if he had to save the pair of them from the stocks?

"That was my mistake," Merlin said, and Krysia relaxed a little, almost ready to breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe Merlin wasn't as dumb as he looked.

"Yes, absolutely, a mistake," she began, ready to talk it all off, but then Merlin had to continue.

"Yeah, I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass."

Krysia's head jerked up and her eyes were wide with horror.

No.

No, no, no, this couldn't be happening. She glanced at Arthur, who was livid. She looked over at Leon, who seemed at as much of a loss as she was. She even glanced up and saw Gwen cleaning a rug in a window, watching the whole scene. What a mess.

Merlin had begun to walk away when Arthur said, "Or I one who could be so stupid, right Krysia?"

She could almost feel Merlin freeze and she could taste the tension in the air.

"Arthur, please," she whispered, desperate to stop this. "He doesn't-"

"Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?" Arthur said, talking right over her, clearly not interested in letting it go.

"No," Merlin said.

"Would you like me to help you?" Arthur said, moving forward a step. Krysia turned and gave Leon a pleading look, but he just shook his head.

There was nothing he could do.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," Merlin said, and then Krysia's stomach hit her throat and she knew something terrible could potentially happen, something that could cost both of their necks, and she had worked so very hard protecting hers that she couldn't let Merlin ruin her life's work.

"Why?" Arthur asked with a laugh. "What's he going to do to me, Krysia?"

"I don't know," she snapped. "Stop trying to get me involved. I'm just standing here."

"Be my guest!" Arthur cried, turning back to Merlin. "Come on! Come on. Come oooon."

Merlin took a swing at Arthur, but Arthur was clearly much better trained, easily twisting Merlin's arm behind his back. The knights made impressed sounds and Krysia rolled her eyes, too annoyed to be impressed by anything.

"I'll have you thrown in jail for that," Arthur said, and it was his most serious voice. Merlin would be, certainly, spending the night in jail.

"What, who do you think you are?" Merlin asked, incredulously. "The king?"

"No," Krysia said, her completely annoyance biting through. "He's his son, Prince Arthur."

Arthur took Merlin out at the knees and some of the newer recruits were instructed to take him to jail. Krysia watched him go, already trying to think of how to explain this all to Gaius.

She turned back to Arthur, making sure the knights had gone about their own business when she addressed him.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked.

"Of course it was, Krysia," he sighed. "I can't have someone challenge me like that in front of my knights, even if he's some kind of friend of yours."

"He's just arrived, and that wasn't what I meant," she said coldly. "Throwing knives at Morris! Allowing someone who clearly didn't know what he was getting himself into continue on insulting you without letting him know he was dealing with royalty! Arthur, it's not fair and it's not right!"

"You could have said something, any time," he said, glaring at her.

"You know I couldn't have, not in front of your knights," she sighed. "It's not my place. It is, however, yours. Now, as I was going to ask before this whole disaster took off, is there anything you need me to do today, or can I get out of your presence before I have half a mind to throw things at you?"

He cracked a small, rueful smile, but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared. "Actually, I was hoping you could inspect Morris's job polishing things when he finishes. You know how poorly he does. I'll send him to find you when he's done."

"Oh, very tactful of you," she said sarcastically. "I applaud you, your highness. After scaring the boy half to death, you all but tell him he's being inspected. Fine, I'll do it, but don't expect me to be pleased with you."

"Are you ever?" he teased, but then Krysia just shook her head, waved at Leon, and left the training ground with a stiff back, an erect neck, and her most indignant walk, making full well that even though she'd not insulted him in front of his knights, all the people on the training ground would know that she wasn't pleased with Arthur that day.

/-/

Krysia was standing at the side of the throne later that night, specifically requested to tend to Uther and his newly arriving guest in the throne room. She always was selected for nights like this, mostly because she had a natural poise that most servants couldn't be trained to have, even with the most intensive training.

Lady Helen walked down the hall with grace and Krysia couldn't honestly decide whether she thought the singer beautiful or not. She glanced around at the other members of court, although very few were present. None looked as pleased to see the singer as Uther.

"Lady Helen," Uther said in greeting. "Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations."

"The pleasure's all mine," Lady Helen insisted.

Of course it was, Krysia thought. Who wouldn't be pleased to bits to be invited to Camelot as a guest of honor by the king himself?

"How was your journey?" Uther asked.

Lady Helen sighed.

"Oh, the time it took, sire."

Uther kissed her hands and Krysia bit the inside of her lip to keep from making an exasperated sound.

"Well, it's always worth the wait."

"It will be," Lady Helen assured him.

"Krysia, show Lady Helen to her room," Uther said without looking at Krysia. "Make sure she's comfortable.

"Of course, Sire," Krysia said, curtsying and leading Lady Helen out of the throne room to the chambers several serving girls had prepared earlier in the day.

"This way, m'lady," Krysia told the singer, who followed her brisk pace with ease.

"Working here long, dear?" Lady Helen asked.

"As long as I can remember, m'lady," Krysia replied honestly. "I believe I've seen you before, but it was not recently enough that I think I would have been old enough to have met you. It is an honor."

No, Krysia didn't actually feel honored, but it had become almost a habit to say that to all of Uther's most prized guests, and it was clear that Lady Helen was in this category.

"Well, then, you won't recall that I value my privacy," Lady Helen said firmly. "I might be a Lady, but I don't need to be fussed over."

"Certainly, m'lady," Krysia assured her. "I will pass it along to all the serving girls who might work with you. Let me know if you have any problems and I will take care of them right away. A few of our serving girls are very new. Is there a time of day you would prefer the girls with less discretion, or should I put the more experienced girls on double shifts?"

"I will leave that up to you," Lady Helen said as Krysia held the door to the quarters open. "You seem capable, and the king seems to trust you."

"I do my best, m'lady," Krysia said, inwardly wondering what Lady Helen was getting at. "Is there anything I can do for you tonight, or would you prefer to be left alone?"

"I think I can manage just fine," Lady Helen said with a smile. "You could do with a rest, I'm sure. I know how hard you work here. You're probably as tired as I am."

"If you're sure, m'lady, the rest would be welcome," Krysia said honestly. "Do you have anything to send out for washing, at least?"

"I'll sort it out when I get up in the morning," Lady Helen said, smiling. "Good night, Krysia."

"Good night, Lady Helen."

Krysia watched Lady Helen close the door before turning away and walking briskly to Gaius's chambers, eager to get a bit of rest in. Gaius was pouring over some papers.

"Where's Merlin?" he asked.

Krysia froze.

"Merlin?" she said sheepishly. "He's... erm..."

"Where?" Gaius demanded.

"Arthur had him thrown in jail," Krysia admitted. "There really wasn't a lot I could do. No magic, just... well... let his stupid mouth run. Then he threw a punch."

Gaius looked up at her with shock.

"I'll get him out in the morning!" she said, sharply, sitting down across from Gaius, pouting a bit. "Lady Helen seemed pleased with me, so that should give me a bit of leverage. Besides, a bit of time in jail should remind him to listen to me when I tell him to shut up."

"I certainly hope so," Gaius said, shaking his head and turning back to his papers. "Go ahead and get some rest."

Krysia made for her chambers and froze, turning back to Gaius.

"Sir Oswin drank it all."

"He'll be fine," Gaius said, waving his head. "I'll have to get more ingredients sooner and he'll be spending a lot of time... erm..."

"Right, just making sure," Krysia said, waving her hand. "Good night, Gaius!"

"Good night."

She went inside, closed the door, and collapsed on the bed. Hopefully the next day would be just a bit calmer.


	3. The Dragon's Call: Dealing with Merlin

Krysia stood at the door to Merlin's cell, adjusting her gloves, Gaius standing beside her.

"He was well-behaved, Leon?" she asked. "Didn't cause the guards any trouble?"

"Not that I've heard," Leon sighed, giving Krysia an apologetic smile. "Apparently he was quite a good prisoner. I'm... I'm sorry about yesterday. There's really nothing-"

"I know," Krysia sighed. "There was nothing any of us could have done without ending up in here with him. I didn't expect any differently of you. Well, go on then. Let's get him out."

Gaius nodded to Leon, who used his key to open Merlin's cell door.

"Merlin!" Krysia said sharply, startling Merlin from where he was apparently staring at the floor.

Gaius strode in.

"You never cease to amaze me," Gaius said, shaking his head. "The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do?"

"You act like a prize idiot," Krysia said, putting her gloved hand on the door frame and leaning slightly, frowning down at him.

"I'm sorry," Merlin said, looking well and truly like a kicked puppy.

"You're lucky," Gaius said sternly. "Krysia's managed to pull a few strings in high places and get you released."

"Oh, thank you!" Merlin insisted. "Thank you!"

Krysia raised her eyebrows, amused, and Gaius gave Merlin a disapproving look.

"I won't forget this," Merlin said, slightly abashed.

Gaius and Krysia exchanged a look and she smiled a little, her most dangerous smile, and Merlin's excited expression faltered a bit.

"There's... a bit of a deal that's been made," she said, tilting her head slightly. "A bit of a penance, if you will, but it's quicker than the jail time..."

Merlin paled.

/-/

Krysia stood off to the side with Gaius and Leon as children pelted Merlin with rotten fruit from his uncomfortable position in the stocks. Gaius was laughing, and the children were certainly having fun.

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Leon asked, watching the grin on Krysia's face. "What did this boy do that you enjoy watching him suffer?"

"I thought you knew me by now, Leon," Krysia said with a laugh as a tomato hit Merlin square in the face. "I just enjoy suffering."

"And the execution?" he said softly.

Krysia's face dulled and she looked up at him, frowning slightly.

"That's different, and you know it," she muttered. "Nobody here is getting hurt. Merlin will be fine-"

"I know," Leon assured her. "Look the children are out of fruit. Why don't you tend to your friend. I'll take care of finding someone to explain the release who's not me. I've given you one too many favors."

"I've already talked to Uther," Krysia said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Don't worry about it."

Leon nodded, and headed off to take care of his work for the day. The children were already scurrying away and Krysia noticed Gwen approaching Merlin, who was still in the stocks.

"I'm Guinevere," she was saying, "but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid."

"Right, I'm Merlin," he replied, stretching out his hand further to shake Gwen's. Krysia giggled. "Although, most people just call me Idiot."

"No, no, no," Gwen insisted. "I saw what you did. It was so brave."

"It was stupid," Krysia insisted, stepping forward. "It was asking for banishment, at best. You're lucky Arthur was feeling a bit merciful that morning. Hello, Gwen."

Gwen nodded in deference to Krysia.

"Well, I'm glad you walked away," Gwen assented. "You weren't going to beat him."

Merlin snorted.

"Oh, I... I can beat him."

Krysia rolled her eyes.

"You think?" Gwen asked skeptically. "Because you don't look like one of those big, muscle-y kind of fellows."

"Thanks," Merlin replied dryly.

"No!" Gwen said quickly. "No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm... Arthur's one of those real rough, tough, save the world kind of men... and..."

"What?" he said.

"You look about as rough and tough as the string off a bean," Krysia said with a small smirk.

Merlin gestured for the girls to move closer, which they did, leaning in.

"I'm in disguise," he said in a sort of loud whisper. Gwen raised her eyebrows, and then the girls laughed together.

"Well, it's great you stood up to him," Gwen said, still smiling.

"What? You think so?" Merlin asked, brightening.

"Arthur's a bully," Gwen explained, "and everyone thought you were a real hero."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Sure, everyone," Krysia said sarcastically. "Morris. The target board. Maybe a few blades of grass."

The girls giggled again, but Merlin still seemed heartened. Children had begun to rush forward again with more rotten fruit.

"Oh, excuse me, ladies," Merlin said, much more cheery. "My fans are waiting."

The two girls moved away from the stocks to avoid getting rotten fruit on their work clothes and watched for a bit.

/-/

Krysia watched Merlin sit down to eat, still not feeling particularly pleased with Merlin, but he'd served his time, and Gwen was right: someone needed to remind Arthur that he was only human sometimes. Better Merlin than Krysia.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?" Gaius asked, and Krysia only barely stopped herself from giggling, biting down on her hand to control her smile. Merlin scoffed.

"I know you're still angry with me," Merlin began.

"Your mother asked me to look after you," Gaius said.

Merlin looked down at his plate.

"Yes," he said.

"What did your mother say to you about your gifts?" Gaius asked more gently. Krysia continued on with her dinner, watching the exchange.

"That I was special," Merlin said with a shrug.

Krysia looked down on her plate.

Those had been her mother's last words to her.

_Take care, my special girl. Stay safe._

Suddenly the food tasted like sawdust and Krysia was choking back tears.

"You are special," Gaius assured Merlin. "The likes of which I have never seen before."

Krysia poked at her plate. She'd been the special one once. She wasn't jealous exactly, she just couldn't see what her place would be now that Merlin was here. Once he got his bearings...

Well, judging by his start, that was a long ways away.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, frowning.

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells," Gaius explained. "It takes years to study. What I watched you do was... elemental, instinctive. Krysia is very powerful and it took her about three years intensive study to accomplish the level of magic you did without even thinking."

"What's the point if it can't be used?" Merlin asked, and Krysia knew how he felt. It was what she'd asked herself for years, nearly her whole life.

"That I do not know," Gaius admitted. "You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin."

"Did you ever study magic?" Merlin asked.

"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago," Gaius responded, very deftly not answering the question at hand. Krysia smiled a little to herself, trying to decide whether or not her appetite was back.

"Why?"

"People used magic for the wrong end at that time," Gaius explained. "It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."

"What?" Merlin asked, credulous. "All of them?"

"Oh, there's one he kept for some reason that probably doesn't even make sense," Krysia said with a shrug. "King of the dragons, probably some pride issue. But it's in a cave under the castle where nobody can free it."

"When you two finish eating," Gaius said, changing the subject swiftly, "I need you to take this to Lady Helen. It's a preparation. She needs it for her voice."

"Can't I go myself?" Krysia whined. "She rather likes me, and I'd like to keep it that way."

But at Gaius's stern look, Krysia caved, simply watching Merlin finish his food so that they could get underway.

As soon as he finished his meal, Krysia snatched up the preparation, leading him to the chambers they'd put Lady Helen in.

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?" Merlin asked as they walked.

"Not mad, exactly," Krysia sighed. "But you haven't made my life any easier, Merlin."

"I'm sorry about that," he said earnestly, and she decided she would have to forgive him soon. He seemed very sorry, and that was something. "You're friends with the knights?"

"Just Leon," she said with a shrug. "We grew up together."

"You seemed friendly with Arthur, too," he pointed out.

"Ah, yes, we grew up together, too," she said with a small smile. "Uther had limited jobs for children of my age when I was found and... well, Gaius pointed out that for someone who wasn't exactly a high lady I was especially well-bred and they agreed that the best place for me until I could be a proper servant was as a companion to Prince Arthur and Lady Morgana. It's given me everything, having friends who have that much control. I've been serving the royal family intimately since I was twelve years old. I was the youngest maid to directly serve a king in the history of Camelot."

Despite the secret irony of it all, Krysia was very proud of how much she had accomplished for herself with the odds stacked against her. If Uther knew, if anyone ever found out who she was and that she remembered everything, she'd be burned or drowned for certain.

But only Gaius knew. And Gaius would never say a word.

Lady Helen was not there when Krysia knocked and entered, leading Merlin in, so she set the bottle down on the vanity. It was then that she and Merlin both noticed and effigy, poppet sort of doll on the vanity, and a book that Krysia knew at once boded for something very unusual to be seen in a singer's room. It was, most probably, a book of spells, although she couldn't be sure without actually opening it. Merlin had made to pick it up when Krysia heard Lady Helen coming and touched his wrist. He put it back quickly, and then turned to face the door.

"What are you doing in here?" Lady Helen asked sharply.

"Delivering, m'lady," Krysia said in her most subservient voice. "Our court physician is one of my employers, and we were charged to bring you this." She picked up the bottle from the vanity and handed it to Lady Helen.

Merlin and Krysia then left the room, and Krysia quickly pushed the book out of her mind.

Lady Helen was an old friend of the king. It was probably nothing.

/-/

"This is the lower town," Krysia explained to Merlin as they walked along. "We don't do too much work here, but it's better you know everywhere..."

She faltered as they passed Arthur and the knights. She curtsied slightly, then continued walking, hoping nothing bad would happen.

But she knew Arthur too well to truly believe that.

"How's your knee-walking coming along?" Arthur asked, goading.

Krysia rolled her eyes, but Merlin kept following her.

"Aw, don't run away," Arthur teased.

Merlin stopped, and Krysia did as well, turning to try to tell Merlin to just keep walking, but he said, "From you?"

She had already begun thinking over who she might sweet-talk this time to get him out of jail. Surely the rotten fruit gig wouldn't work twice. Perhaps Morgana...

Arthur gave a dramatic sigh.

"Thank god. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

"Look, I've told you you're an ass," Merlin said confidently, turning to face Arthur. "I just didn't realize you were a royal one. Oh, what are you going to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?"

Krysia took a step forward, but decided not to get between them. This wasn't going to be pretty.

Arthur laughed and said, "I could take you apart with one blow."

"I could take you apart with less than that," Merlin replied, and Krysia would have smacked her face if she hadn't been trying to appear more or less unflustered. What part of laying low did Merlin not understand?

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked.

_Give him a chance to back away_, Krysia thought, but she knew Merlin would not back away. He was too stupid to notice he was being given an out. All her hard work and he would just throw it away.

The knights began to goad, looking for a fight, wanting to see Arthur tear this insolent newcomer to shreds. Krysia frowned. As a child, she could have said something to stop such bullying, but she was no longer Arthur's companion. She was the head of his servants. Even in a position of relative power, she had none in this sphere anymore.

Merlin took off his jacket, handing it to Krysia, and Arthur laughed. Perhaps it was at the bold gesture by Merlin, perhaps at the horrified look on Krysia's face.

One of the knights handed Arthur a mace, which Arthur then tossed at Merlin. Merlin, of course, failed to catch it, but by the time he did pick it up Arthur was already swinging his own mace with obvious prowess.

Except Krysia actually did snort slightly because a mace was not a weapon of finesse and skill. If Arthur had really wanted to destroy Merlin and show him up easily, he would have picked a sword and been done with it. Instead, he'd picked a weapon that a foolhardy man could at least challenge him on, even though Merlin was probably too weak to be that man.

"Come on, then," Arthur said with a grin. "I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth."

"So have I," Krysia teased. "You don't see me swinging a mace like a toy."

Merlin seemed momentarily surprised, perhaps at her declaration, perhaps at the sound of her voice. But he recovered quickly.

Part of keeping Morgana and Arthur company was training in swordplay and weaponry with them. She got very good with a sword, although Morgana had always been able to better her. She'd even beat Arthur a few times growing up, until she stopped practicing and Arthur led knights, where he practiced every day.

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" Merlin asked, trying to get the hang of his mace.

Arthur snorted.

"You can't address me like that."

Merlin faked deference and replied, "I'm sorry. H-how long have you been training to be a prat, My Lord?"

Krysia did giggle a bit at that, but she covered it quickly. She'd rather not lose her job.

Merlin gave a small bow and Arthur looked mildly amused, probably at the bow, and began swinging at Merlin in full force.

"Come on then, Merlin!" Arthur said as he swung. "Come on!"

Arthur backed Merlin into the market stalls and a crowd began to gather. Krysia looked up to see Gaius looking out of his windows to see what the commotion was about. Merlin fell down. Krysia turned away from Gaius, not wanting to see the disapproval on his face. She fought the urge to toss away Merlin's jacket.

"You're in trouble now!" Arthur teased.

Merlin used what Krysia was sure was magic to use two large hooks to tangle up Arthur's mace. By the time Arthur got it untangled, Merlin had moved a box. Arthur stepped into the box and scraped up his shin. Arthur cried out in pain. Going after Merlin again, he missed Merlin tightening a rope on the ground, again, probably with magic, and Arthur tripped. Merlin picked up the mace while Arthur was stunned.

"Do you want to give up?" Merlin asked.

"To you?" Arthur said, incredulous.

"Do you?" Merlin pressed. "Do you want to give up?"

Arthur takes a step back, catches his foot in a bucket, and then falls backward onto the ground. Merlin, the idiot, thinking he'd won, turned to bask in his victory and saw Gaius watching from the window. What he didn't see was Arthur swinging a broom at him from behind, knocking him to the ground. Guards moved to pick up Merlin and Krysia made a noise of protest.

"Wait," Arthur said, looking over at her. "Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one. There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it."

Krysia thanked Arthur softly as she moved to help Merlin to his feet.

"I'm going to kill you," she muttered. "Honestly, I can't believe I'm finding myself in these messes all the time. I used to be respected. You'd better hope, for your sake, that that continues in spite of your stupidity."

Merlin looked up at her, dumbfounded, and Krysia tossed his jacket at him, marching across the square, curtsying to Leon as she went by. He bowed, despite his friends teasing and she had a horrible feeling that her more or less forced friendship with Merlin was going to cause difficulty not only for herself, but for Leon as well. He didn't have Arthur's presence, and would be far easier to tease.

She knew that Merlin was following her across the square, but she ignored him. She would not reward his poor behavior. He kept up, though, and she looked at the window again and Gaius was gone.

Krysia had a sinking feeling that she was going to have an entirely too interesting life now that Merlin was in it.

"I'm sorry," he said once they were out of earshot of the knights. "I'm sorry you keep getting mixed up in-

"Wrong apology," she spat.

"I'm... sorry?" he said, confused. "What exactly is the right apology?"

"You would apologize for being an idiot," she sighed, stopping. "You'd apologize for pulling me into it. And then you'd grovel and assure me that you'd learned the meaning of laying low and you'll never show your face in sunlight again."

"Erm, isn't that a bit harsh?" he asked hopefully.

"No," Krysia snapped, turning and walking away again.

Of course it was harsh. That was why it made her feel so much better to say.


	4. The Dragon's Call: The Weight of Destiny

They returned to the physician's chambers not long after, and Gaius was waiting for the pair of them.

"How could you be so foolish?" he demanded of Merlin.

"He needed to be taught a lesson," Merlin said shrugging.

"Magic needs to be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!" Gaius snapped.

"What is there to master?" Merlin countered, and Krysia sat down on the bench. "I could move objects like that before I could talk!"

"Well, one would think that after so many years that by now you would know how to actually conduct yourself," Krysia said coldly.

"I don't want to!" Merlin cried. "If I can't use magic, what have I got? I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. Without magic, I might as well die."

Merlin then stormed dramatically into his shared bedchamber with Krysia watching, eyebrows raised.

"Well, then," she muttered, and Gaius sighed.

"Is he injured?" Gaius asked.

"I don't know, probably," she responded, looking down at the table as if it were the most interesting thing in the room. "You remember what I looked like after fights with Arthur. Merlin's not even trained, and he fell into a stall."

"I thought so."

Gaius began gathering things for cuts and bruises and Krysia knew she would be asked to help. She hated helping heal. It wasn't a natural thing for her at all. Making the various medicines and such was fine, but actually healing someone made her uncomfortable. Gaius carried the basket in after Merlin and Krysia followed petulantly.

"Merlin?" Gaius asked with a sigh. "Sit up. Take your shirt off."

Merlin complied and Krysia frowned at the bruises that had already formed on his pale skin. She hated injuries. She could almost feel them on her own body just by looking at them, in the way that watching a person get sick could make the viewer retch.

"You don't know why I was born like this, do you?" Merlin asked, still pouting.

"No," Gaius said, tending to Merlin's injuries, expecting Krysia to hand him what he wanted without being asked, which she was thankfully able to do after years of practice.

"I'm not a monster, am I?"

Krysia looked Merlin in his dark eyes and saw the same fears she'd had as a child looking back at her and Gaius even paused in his actions.

"No, Merlin," she whispered. "Never let yourself believe that you're a monster. You were just born different. What becomes of that is in your control."

"Then why am I like this?" he asked, pleading. "Please, I need to know why."

"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge than me," Gaius began, the same as when he told her.

"If you can't tell me, no one can," Merlin said, looking even more upset than before.

Gaius, clearly at a loss to answer, poured a bit of potion into a small cup for Merlin and said, "Take this. It will help with the pain."

/-/

Krysia jolted awake, hearing a voice calling for her, for Merlin, but there was no one there, and it hadn't been Gaius's voice. She could still hear it, and she hugged her knees to her chest, watching Merlin sleep. He turned a bit, clearly troubled.

He was hearing it too.

Merlin jerked awake as well, looking up at her.

"Did you hear it too?" he asked, his voice raspy and afraid.

Krysia nodded, forcing herself to swallow. She felt a bit sick.

They looked at each other in the darkness for a while, but they could both hear it, and it wasn't going away.

Without a word to each other, the pair of them crept out into the outer room. Gaius was not there, probably fast asleep. Still silent, they left the physician's chambers, crossed the square swiftly, and Krysia led the way.

There were a pair of guards blocking their path and Merlin looked at Krysia, unsure what to do. She could easily distract them, she knew them well, but there would be awkward questions and Merlin would have to go forward alone. She carefully thought out the incantation in her head and the dice the guards were playing with rolled away, much to their consternation, and she kept them rolling far enough that the guards followed them around the corner, giving Merlin and Krysia enough time time slip past.

"Nice," Merlin murmured. She just shrugged.

She grabbed a torch, let Merlin light it, and then led the way down the tunnel, feeling far more confident leading than following after seeing Merlin's lack of skill as a fighter.

When the reached the cave she knew held the dragon Uther had imprisoned, she heard Merlin's name being called again, this time with a laugh. Her heart froze in her chest.

"Where are you?" Merlin called out.

The Great Dragon flew over and landed in front of them, folding its wings and considering them.

"I'm right here," it said. "How small you both are for such great destinies."

"Destiny?" Krysia asked, too curious and confused to be held back by fear. "What destiny? What are you talking about?"

"Your gifts were given to you for a reason," The Great Dragon told the pair of them.

"So there is a reason," Merlin said, heartened.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion," the dragon continued.

"Great," Krysia muttered, wondering how utterly insufferable Arthur would be whenever that day came.

"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike," explained the dragon.

"I don't see what this has to do with us," Merlin prompted.

"Everything," the dragon told them calmly. "Without you, Merlin, Arthur will never succeed. And without Krysia's offspring, there will be no Albion."

"Excuse me?" Krysia snapped, horrified. "Did you just mention offspring and Arthur in the same breath? That's _never _going to happen!"

The dragon merely chuckled - chuckled! - at her indignation and shook his head.

"The offspring is not Arthur's," The Great Dragon said with a small bow of his head. Krysia relaxed a little, although she still felt very much like she'd like to be sick.

"You've got this wrong," Merlin protested, still very much upset with the idea that he was expected to help Arthur.

"There is no right or wrong," the dragon replied calmly. "Only what is and what isn't."

There was something about that statement that made Krysia very uncomfortable, but she didn't have any time to process what it might be, because Merlin was still furiously arguing against his declared destiny.

"But I'm serious!" Merlin cried. "If anyone wants to kill him, they can go ahead! In fact, I'll give them a hand!"

Krysia wanted to smack him, but it didn't feel appropriate with a dragon watching.

The dragon laughed and replied, "None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it."

"No," Merlin said urgently. "No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur, because this one's an idiot."

"Perhaps," the dragon said wisely, "it is your destiny to change that."

The dragon flew off into the cave, but Merlin wasn't finished.

"Wait!" Merlin cried. "Wait! Stop! I, I need to know more!"

But the dragon did not return.

"Come on, Merlin," Krysia sighed. "We're not getting our answers tonight. Best if we actually get some sleep."

"But there are things we need to know," Merlin said, angrily.

"Yes," Krysia admitted. "But if we needed to know them right now, I suspect he would have told us right now. Let's just go to bed."

Merlin followed her back to their chambers, but said not a word the whole way.

/-/

Krysia was just rubbing the sleep from her eyes when Gaius came in to wake them, and she realized that their room was a mess.

"Hoy!" Gaius said, picking up some of Merlin's clothes from the floor and tossing them at a sleeping Merlin.

Merlin woke, frowning.

"Have you seen the state of this room?" Gaius cried, and Krysia moaned, turning over and hugging her pillow.

"It just happens," Merlin said with a shrug.

"By magic," Krysia said dryly," but Gaius didn't seem impressed.

"Yeah," Merlin said with a bit of a grin, clinging to whatever seemed best.

"Yes," Gaius said sternly. "Well, you can clear it up without magic. Then I want you two to get me some herbs. henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's still having nightmares."

Krysia nodded, stretching, as Gaius picked up more clothes and threw them at Merlin. She giggled.

"I know the feeling," Merlin muttered.

"Morgana has serious nightmares, Merlin," Krysia said with a frown. "It's nothing to joke about."

He shook his head, cleaning up the room, but Krysia went out to get breakfast, as none of it was her problem.

/-/

Merlin and Krysia entered Morgana's open chamber door to find her stepping behind her changing screen. Krysia raised her eyebrows and looked at Merlin, who was staring.

"You know, I've been thinking about Arthur," Morgana said as though continuing a conversation. "I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you, Gwen?"

Ah, so Gwen had left the room and Morgana thought they were Gwen. They glanced at each other, but as Merlin made to grab the gown indicated, Krysia swatted his hand and scooped it up instead. Morgana had begun undressing, and Krysia glared at Merlin until he moved out of the room and turned his back.

"I mean, the man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the king's ward, that doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it?"

Krysia put the dress on the screen, wondering whether she should tell Morgana who she actually was or pretend to be Gwen still.

"Well, does it?" Morgana prompted.

"No," Krysia replied shortly, giving her best impression of her friend's voice. Morgana didn't seem to notice, but Krysia exchanged a nervous look with Merlin, who seemed to find the whole thing very entertaining.

"If he wants me to go," Morgana continued, "then he should invite me, and he hasn't. So do you know what that means?"

"No," Krysia replied, growing more nervous by the second.

"Where are you?" Morgana asked, confused, looking over the screen for Gwen.

Merlin quickly moved around the corner and Krysia was standing there, by herself, and Morgana frowned at her for a moment.

"Krysia?"

"Gwen stepped out and I stepped in," Krysia explained. "And you just kept talking, and it seemed rude to stop you."

"Oh," Morgana said, shrugging. "Well, it means I'm going by myself."

Merlin peeked around the corner again.

"I need some help with this fastening," Morgana said, and Merlin's eyes popped out. Krysia motioned for him to put down the potion and leave, which he did eagerly. "Krysia?"

Gwen walked in, confused.

"Gwen's back," Krysia said quickly.

"Why are you here?" Gwen asked, frowning slightly.

"Gaius," Krysia said with a shrug.

"Ah," Gwen said, moving to the other side of the screen to help with the fastening. The two of them came out from behind the screen and Morgana was carrying a maroon gown, grinning.

"So it's whether I wear this little tease," Morgana said, considering her reflection in the mirror. "Or give them a night they'll really remember," she continued, holding up the maroon gown, thinking.

Krysia grinned at Gwen, then said, "The maroon, Morgana. Wear the maroon and nobody will notice another woman in the room, I guarantee it."

Morgana grinned at the mirror, then turned and grinned at the two servants.

/-/

Krysia was already working at the banquet hall when Gaius and Merlin walked in. She frowned slightly, nodding over to where Arthur and his friends were discussing, quite inaccurately, his tussle with Merlin, which had become fast news and somehow still managed to make Arthur out like a hero. Merlin nodded, frowning.

Morgana then walked in, in the maroon gown Krysia had assured her was the right choice, and Arthur froze in his antics as Morgana passed his line of sight. Merlin also starred as Morgana passed, as did every other warm-blooded male in the room. Krysia held in a smirk.

Arthur was trying to talk up a clearly uninterested Morgana when Krysia approached them.

"Anything to drink m'lady?" she asked Morgana.

"No, thank you," Morgana said gently. "Arthur, would you care for something to drink?"

"Strong wine," Arthur said, not tearing his eyes from Morgana. Krysia actually did smirk as she moved away.

Krysia was pouring some wine when she noticed that Leon was the only man in the room not looking at Morgana. Instead, he was looking over at the servants, but before Krysia could figure out who he was looking at, he blushed and turned away, hiding in his drink. Krysia frowned. Browen was the prettiest, but she'd not turned up for service since the king asked her to deliver something. Who was it Leon was looking at?

It wasn't too much longer when the horn sounded to announce Uther's arrival, and everyone took their places, guests at tables, serving girls at positions near the high table to serve the most honored attendees most quickly. Krysia was at the position closest to the royal family.

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity," Uther said, prepping the audience. "It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

There was much applause and the Lady Helen began to sing as all others took their seats.

The strange thing was that as the Lady continued to sing, Krysia found herself more and more drowsy, and hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until she awoke to find the woman whose son had been executed on the ground under a chandelier where Lady Helen had been standing, and Merlin was pushing Arthur out of his chair.

A dagger flew through the air, slicing Arthur's chair in stead of his skin. The woman died and Krysia stared at Merlin, stunned.

"You saved my boys life," Uther told him, clearly stunned. "A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well..." Merlin said, struggling to be humble.

"Don't be so modest," Uther pressed. "You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness," Merlin pressed, and Krysia could sense his discomfort. She was feeling a bit uncomfortable herself.

"No, absolutely," Uther insisted. "This merits something quite special."

_Oh, no, no, no._

"Well..." Merlin began, clearly not seeing as Krysia did the disaster this would lead to.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household," Uther proclaimed. "You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

Krysia's groan was covered by the applause of the audience, and she shared a horrified glance with Arthur.

"Father!" Arthur said, clearly perturbed.

/-/

Later that night, when Krysia and the king had gone over all of the necessary arrangements for Merlin's new post, she returned to find Gaius entering the room she shared with Merlin.

"Seems you're a hero," Gaius said as Krysia squeezed her way into the room.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Krysia sighed.

"No," Gaius said with a smile. "I knew it from the moment I met him. When he saved my life, remember?"

"But... that was magic," Merlin pointed out, still upset about his job.

"And now, it seems, we've finally found a use for it," Gaius said with a nod.

"What?" Krysia asked. Surely he wasn't giving some sort of go-ahead for Merlin to use magic! What about her?

"You saw how he saved Arthur's life!" Gaius pointed out.

"Oh, no," Merlin groaned.

"Perhaps that's its purpose," Gaius said with finality.

Krysia smiled bitterly.

"Destiny," she muttered.

"Indeed," Gaius said with a wry smile, holding out a book Krysia recognized, but hadn't seen in years. "This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me. Krysia has studied it fully, and can give you more guidance than I can."

"But this is a book of magic," Merlin pointed out dumbly.

"Of course it is," Krysia sighed. "Which is why you absolutely can't let anyone else know you've got it, all right? Especially while you share a room with me!"

"I will study every word," Merlin said solemnly.

There was a knock at the door to the physician's chambers.

"Merlin, Prince Arthur wants to see you right away," called a guard.

"Your destiny's calling," Gaius said wryly. "You'd better go see what he wants."

When Merlin went away, Gaius turned to Krysia and said, "You're going to be nice, now, aren't you?"

"I'm always nice," Krysia said indignantly.

"No," Gaius said sternly. "You're nice when it suits you. That's your father in you. Merlin is going to need your help, you know."

"I know," Krysia said with a shrug. "That doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun."

Gaius's eyes narrowed.

"You arranged for him to be called out tonight, didn't you?" he asked suspiciously.

Krysia just shrugged again, but she smiled a bit. Gaius looked at her disapprovingly.

"What?" she sighed. "I'm just having some fun. It won't hurt him, and it might make him take his job seriously. It's better than mucking the stables every day!"

Gaius shook his head.

"We've been over this, Krysia," he reminded her. "I know you and Arthur have known each other a long time, but you can't be friends. You understand that? Picking on Merlin with Arthur makes you as vulnerable as it makes Merlin, and possibly more. Your parents didn't send you to me to raise you a dozen years for the slaughter!"

"I know," Krysia muttered. "Besides, it seems I've got a destiny of my own."

"Oh?" Gaius asked, eyebrows raised.

"It's nothing," Krysia said with a shrug. "I'll be nice. It seems I don't really have much of a choice."

By the time Merlin returned, Krysia was faking sleep, still unable to face the nightmares Gaius's reminder caused.


	5. Valiant: Sir Ewan's Demise

One thing Krysia was never short on these days was entertainment.

She was sitting outside the castle ramparts, watching Merlin as he helped Arthur prepare for the tournament.

"Ready?" Arthur asked.

"Would it make any difference if I said no?" Merlin countered.

"Not really," Arthur admitted, and they drew swords and Arthur attacked.

Krysia sat back, watching Merlin get severely pummeled, including several blows to his helmeted head.

"You're braver than you look," Arthur eventually said. "Most servants collapse after the first blow."

"Oi!" Krysia responded indignantly.

Arthur sighed.

"Father said I wasn't allowed to hit you anymore, Krysia," Arthur said slowly. "I think I ought to take you out of my reckonings if-"

"Merlin," Krysia barked, "sword, shield, and helmet please."

Merlin scrambled to let anyone else take the hits but himself, and Krysia just grinned at Arthur as she dropped the helmet.

"Don't worry," she said with a grin. "If you manage to hit me, I'll convince Morgana to say she used me as a sparring partner. She owes me."

Of course, Arthur didn't manage to hit her, nor did she actually manage to hit him, but he was getting far better practice with her than he could have possibly received with Merlin and she was free of boredom, so neither really minded.

When they finally tired, they agreed to drop their swords together, so as not to break their personal code of honor.

"That was fantastic," Merlin said earnestly when Krysia took off her helmet, her sweaty hair shaking out into the light breeze.

"Great," Krysia said with a groan. "You're doing all my washing for a month."

"B-but I-"

"Gaius will back me up," she said sharply. "Don't bother arguing."

/-/

Krysia and Merlin arrived back at the physician's chambers not long after, Merlin dropping pieces of armor as they walked in.

Gaius grinned, frowning slightly at the state of Krysia's hair before turning back to Merlin.

"So," Gaius asked with a small laugh, "how was your first day as Arthur's servant?"

Krysia snorted, but Merlin tapped his head.

"Do you hear clanging?" he asked, confused.

Merlin dropped down at the table, Krysia dropping into the spot across from him. Gaius moved to massage Merlin's shoulders.

"Ah! It was horrible. Ah, and I've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning. _Onhríne achtung bregdan_."

A book slid across the table and opened up in front of Merlin.

"Oi!" Krysia cried, and Gaius smacked the back of Merlin's head.

"What've I told you about using magic like this?" Gaius demanded.

"If I could feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself," Merlin protested.

"Forget about your arms," Krysia snapped. "What about our necks if you go and get caught?"

Merlin frowned slightly.

"What would actually happen to you if I do get caught?" he asked.

"Don't do it," Krysia said in a low, dangerous voice. "You'd better make sure you don't get caught, for all our sakes. That's all you really need know."

Merlin raised his eyebrows, but he would get no more out of her. She still didn't feel comfortable enough with this stranger to trust him with her deepest secrets. Gaius went back to massaging Merlin's shoulders, and the discussion was dropped.

"Ah! I save Arthur's life and I end up as a servant. How's that fair?"

"I'm not really sure fairness enters into it," Gaius said reasonably. "You never know, it might be fun. Krysia seems to enjoy her work."

Merlin scoffed and said, "You think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear my list of duties."

"We know your list of duties," Krysia said with a roll of her eyes. "I know it by heart, seeing as I oversee it. We all have tasks and duties, Merlin. Even Arthur."

Sarcastically, Merlin said, "It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory."

Krysia shook her head and clicked her tongue, but Gaius answered.

"He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot of pressure."

"Ah, that makes three of us," Merlin said with a dark look over at Krysia, who just frowned back.

/-/

Krysia decided if Merlin was going to have a prayer of being a suitable manservant by the time the tournament started, he would need intensive and particular tutoring.

And since her patience for teaching him only stretched so far, they were sitting in Gwen's house, practicing putting armor on him.

"So, you've got the voiders on the arms," Krysia said, pointing at the voiders.

"Mm-hmm," Merlin said, taking note of the voiders.

"The hauberk goes over your chest," Gwen said, touching the hauberk.

"The chest," Merlin muttered. "The arms. The chest."

"You already know where the helmet goes," Krysia said, tapping the metal hard.

"Erm, yeah," Merlin said, putting on the helmet. "Yeah, that was the only bit I'd figured out."

Gwen giggled and Krysia shook her head with a smile.

"How come you two are so much better at this than me?" Merlin asked.

"Well, I've spent my whole life serving the royal family," Krysia said with a shrug. "That includes suiting up Arthur and Morgana, even Uther when necessary, and sparring when it was required of me."

"And I'm a blacksmith's daughter," Gwen explained. "I know pretty much everything there is to know about armor, even things Krysia doesn't, which is actually kind of sad."

"No, it's brilliant!" Merlin assured her, and Krysia and Gwen laughed again.

/-/

The morning of the tournament, Krysia and Gwen were sitting on either side of the Lady Morgana, all three of them very excited about the event. Krysia and Morgana happened to appreciate the intricacies of swordplay, and Gwen was always entertained by strong men displaying their strength, like any other red-blooded female.

Uther stood in the arena and began to address the line of competitors.

"Knights of the realm," he said in his strong, authoritative voice, "it is a great honor to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur. Only one can have the honor of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces." The box containing the gold was opened. "It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!"

Krysia and her companions began to cheer with the roar of the crowd as the combatants left the arena, leaving only those first to fight out in the line of view. Uther clapped Arthur on the back as the king exited the arena to watch. The capes were taken by guards and the battle began.

Arthur won his battle easily, and then another knight came on, also winning his fight with ease.

"What is his name, Krysia?" Morgana asked, leaning over.

Krysia's keen eyes glanced over at the scoreboard.

"Valiant, m'lady," Krysia muttered.

Other knights battled, but Krysia couldn't help but notice that she saw no other truly uneven matches.

Valiant and Arthur were the ones to beat.

/-/

Krysia had been working on the second day of the tournament, but the moment she'd heard of Sir Ewan's injury, she had asked King Uther if she might redistribute her duties in order to care for her friend.

Uther knew Krysia well enough to know that she hated healing, that it made her feel sick, but the fact that she already had tears in her eyes and looked as though she might keel over at any moment certainly were elements in favor of his allowing her request. After all, she wouldn't be much use if she wasn't at her best.

Krysia spent the rest of the evening running errand for Gaius, helping him at every available moment, and when Merlin came back to the physician's chambers that night, she was holding Sir Ewan's cold, sweaty hand, terrified that someone she had liked so much would be dying.

Of course, dying was a part of being a knight, but knights of Camelot seemed to be such a regular target that Krysia couldn't bring herself to accept it as well as others seemed to.

"How is he?" Merlin asked, and Krysia just shook her head, biting back tears.

"It's most odd," Gaius said, pointing out the wound he'd already showed to Krysia. "See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite."

"How could he have been bitten by a snake?" Merlin asked incredulously. "He was injured in the sword fight."

"He's still exhibiting signs of snake poison," Krysia said with a forced swallow. "Slow pulse, fever, paralysis."

Merlin looked over at her and she knew from the pity on his face that she looked a mess. It was silly, really. She'd known Sir Ewan, of course, but it wasn't like this was Leon or Arthur. She'd been about fourteen when she'd met Ewan, though, and she counted him as a good friend. She wiped her eyes with her free hand and let her hair fall in her face to hide her tears from Merlin's view.

"Can you heal him?" he asked Gaius.

"Well," Gaius sighed, "if it is a snake bite, I'll have to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote."

"What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?" Merlin asked softly.

"Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him," Gaius whispered, probably hoping Krysia wouldn't hear what she already knew. "He's going to die."

She tried to bite back the fresh wave of tears, but there was no hiding the very audible sob. Both of them turned and looked at her, but she trained her eyes on Ewan's sweat-covered hand in her hands, squeezing it a bit tighter.

"He was fighting Knight Valiant," Merlin muttered.

"What's that?" Gaius asked, wetting another cloth for Ewan's forehead.

"Nothing," Merlin said quickly, and Krysia lifted her head to give him a quizzical look.

What was he thinking?

But Merlin simply left them alone to care for Ewan, a determined look on his face. Krysia thought for a moment to follow him, but if Ewan passed, she wanted to be at his side. There was no one else to be there for him, not since his parents had died.

/-/

Merlin returned not too long after, all in a huff, clearly excited about something.

"I've just seen one of the snakes on Valiant's shield come alive," he said quickly. "He's using magic."

"What?" Krysia yelped, nearly dropping Ewan's hand. "Are you sure, Merlin?"

"The snake ate a mouse," Merlin said, eyebrows raised. "One swallow, straight down. Sir Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must have been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur."

Krysia and Gaius exchanged a quick, nervous look.

"Is there any chance you might have been mistaken?" Gaius pressed.

"I know magic when I see it," Merlin insisted.

"Right, but," Krysia sighed. "You need to have absolute proof, Merlin. Before you take this to anyone, you need to know you can prove it to even the most doubting mind."

"Don't you believe me?" Merlin asked, frowning.

"She only fears, as I do, that you will land yourself in trouble," Gaius said gently. "And possibly Krysia as well, as she is responsible for you. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?"

"What does that matter?" Merlin growled, frustrated. "He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!"

"But Merlin," Krysia sighed, "he's a knight. You're a servant. You can't accuse a knight without absolute proof. Uther would not trust even my word over the word of a knight, and he's known me all my life. He certainly won't take yours."

"What?" Merlin asked indignantly. "So what I say doesn't count for anything?"

"I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the king is concerned," Gaius said gently. "That's the way it is."

/-/

The next day, Krysia stayed and tended to Ewan while Merlin and Gaius went about their duties for the tournament. It was a time-consuming job, but not particularly difficult, and it afforded her plenty of time to think about what to do for his funeral, as Arthur and Uther would expect her input on the matter, since his family had all passed.

Merlin came in later that night and sat with her, watching Sir Ewan for changes, and neither of them spoke until Gaius returned from dealing with more minor wounds and issues.

"Merlin, about what I said yesterday," Gaius said slowly. "Look, Uther wouldn't really listen to any of us, but you are right. We can't let Valiant get away with this."

"There's no proof, Gaius," Krysia sighed, daubing Ewan's forehead with a damp cloth.

"Well, if we could cure Ewan, he could tell the king that Valiant was using magic," Gaius reasoned. "The King would believe another knight. But how we get the antidote... Well, that's another matter."

Merlin gave Krysia a hard look, paused for a moment, and then he headed out the door at a brisk pace.

Krysia frowned at Gaius, then handed the cloth to him and headed off after Merlin.

"Merlin?" she called, and he paused, turned, looked at her, and she hurried up to catch up with him before he set off at his quick pace again.

As they passed the council chamber, Merlin and Krysia saw that Valiant was present, talking with Uther about the possibility of staying in Camelot after the tournament was over. They didn't linger long, hurrying off to Valiant's chambers. Krysia unlocked the door with her set of keys and picked up Valiant's sword, ready when one of the snakes began slithering toward a very nervous Merlin.

"From the shield?" she asked, a bit nervous.

"Yup," Merlin gulped. "Do something!"

She turned and chopped off the head of the snake just as the other snakes began making their way out of the shield.

"Grab it and go!" she cried, setting the sword back where she'd found it as quickly as possible and rushing out after Merlin, who carried the head of the first snake. She locked the door again behind them and they ran all the way to the physician's chambers.

Merlin handed Gaius the head of the snake, who stared at it for a brief moment before nodding. He quickly drained a bit of venom from the snake's head as Krysia and Merlin watched.

"I'll get started preparing the antidote," Gaius said.

"We'll go tell Arthur," Merlin said.

"We need the head," Krysia said, taking it from Gaius's outstretched hand.

"Oh, and by the way," Gaius said before the two of them could hurry off to find Arthur. "What you did was very brave."

/-/

Arthur looked up at them with confusion and amusement as he ate his dinner.

"You chopped its head off?" he asked Merlin.

"Erm, no," Merlin said, blushing slightly. "No, Krysia did that bit."

Krysia clicked her tongue, annoyed.

"Ewan was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant. You can talk to Gaius, you can see the puncture wounds in Ewan's neck where the snake bit him. Ewan was beating him, he had to cheat. I've seen the wounds myself, Arthur."

Arthur was still remarkably calm.

"Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot," he said.

"That didn't stop the man your father executed," Krysia said with her eyebrows raised. "Forbidding something doesn't mean it won't happen."

"Ewan was pinned under Valiant's shield," Merlin said helpfully. "No one could see the snake bite him."

"I don't like the guy," Arthur said confidently, "but that doesn't mean he's cheating.

"Gaius is preparing an antidote for the snake venom," Merlin pressed. "When Ewan's conscious, he'll tell you what happened. If you fight Valiant in the final, he'll use the shield. It's the only way he can beat you. Look at it!"

Krysia picked up the snake's head and pressed it in front of Arthur, who looked at her instead, probably ready to tell her off, but she said, "I've lived in Camelot all my life, Arthur, but I've never seen a snake like this here. Have you?"

Arthur looked down at the head, considering it. He turned it over.

"I know I'm just a servant and my word doesn't count for anything," Merlin said, softer. "I wouldn't lie to you. Krysia wouldn't lie to you."

Arthur looked up at them.

"I want you to swear to me," he said, "that what you're telling me is true."

"I swear it's true," Krysia and Merlin chorused.

Arthur looked back down at the snake and said, "Then I believe you."

/-/

When Arthur called the court to challenge Valiant, Krysia stood in her usual place beside Uther in case he needed any errands run, papers signed, etc. Merlin stood with Arthur, his newly rightful place.

"Why have you summoned the court?" Uther asked.

Arthur took a deep breath and Krysia gave him a small nod.

"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament," Arthur said boldly.

Uther raised his eyebrows and said, "Valiant, what do you have to say to this?"

"My Lord," Valiant said coolly, "this is ridiculous. I've never used magic. Does your son have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?"

"Do you have evidence?" Uther asked Arthur, clearly perturbed.

"I do," Arthur said, motioning Merlin forward.

Merlin produced the head of the snake and handed it to Uther.

"Let me see this shield," Uther said, handing the snake's head to Krysia who took it gingerly.

Merlin whispered something to Arthur and then Arthur said, "Be careful, my Lord." He drew his sword as Uther inspected the shield and Krysia's heart stopped when she saw Gaius enter the room...

Without Ewan.

Merlin moved back to speak to Gaius and Krysia could feel her heart freeze in her chest, because she already knew.

Ewan was dead.


	6. Valiant: Somewhat Hollow Victory

Krysia tried not to squeeze the snake's head in her hand as she watched Gaius and Merlin whispering frantically in the back of the room.

"As you can see, my lord," Valiant said, "it is just an ordinary shield."

"He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive," Arthur reasoned.

Uther countered, "Then how am I to know what you say is true?"

"I have a witness," Arthur replied confidently. "Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. Its venom has made him grievously ill, however, he has received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic."

"Where is this witness?" Uther prompted.

"He should be here," Arthur said slowly, turning to look at Gaius and Merlin, who were still frantically whispering. "Where's Ewan?"

"He's dead," Merlin said, and Krysia almost dropped the snake head, which caused Uther to glance at her, but she caught it before it hit the ground and straightened up, keeping her face schooled although her eyes welled up with tears.

"I'm waiting!" Uther demanded.

"I'm afraid the witness is dead," Arthur relayed, and he looked a bit sick.

"So you have no proof to support these allegations," Uther said, clearly unimpressed. "Have you seen Valiant using magic?"

"No," Arthur admitted, "but my servant and Krysia fought the snake..."

"Your servant?" Uther demanded, outraged. "You made these outrageous accusations against a knight on the word of servants?"

"I believe they're telling the truth!" Arthur argued. "Krysia, after all-"

"My lord," Valiant interjected, "Am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a boy and a serving girl?"

"I've seen those snakes come alive!" Merlin countered, and Krysia shrank back slightly.

"How dare you interrupt?" Uther said, outraged. "Guards!"

The guards moved forward and made to move Merlin to the jail.

"My lord," Valiant said.

"Wait," Uther ordered, and the guards stopped.

"I'm sure he was merely mistaken," Valiant said, looking up at Krysia with glittering eyes. "The girl as well. I wouldn't want either of them punished on my account."

"You see?" Uther said, impressed. "This is how a true knight behaves - with gallantry and honor."

"My lord," Valiant continued, "if your son made these accusations because he is afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawal."

Krysia nearly dropped the snake's head again, but caught herself more quickly this time, and Uther was too focused on Arthur and Valiant to notice.

"Is this true?" Uther asked his son. "Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?"

"No!" Arthur exclaimed immediately.

"Then what am I to make of these allegations?"

Arthur looked up at Krysia with angry eyes and she did give the head a little squeeze, knowing she would be well informed later of his anger.

"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding," Arthur said with a firm voice. "I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology."

"Accepted," Valiant said, shaking Arthur's hand, but glancing up at Krysia with those same glittering eyes.

This had been a terrible idea.

/-/

Krysia and Merlin were with Arthur in his chambers, bracing themselves for his ire. Merlin didn't seem as prepared for this as Krysia, but that was to be expected. He didn't know Arthur like she did.

"I believed you," Arthur began. "I trusted you, and you made me look like a complete fool."

"I know it didn't exactly go to plan," Merlin said, obviously trying to reason with Arthur, but anyone who knew about Arthur's temper could have told him that was a poor idea.

"'Didn't go to plan?'" Arthur roared. "My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward. _You humiliated me!_"

"Arthur, perhaps there is still a way we could expose Valiant," Krysia said softly, but Arthur wasn't listening to her.

"I no longer require your services, Merlin," Arthur said bitterly.

"You're sacking me?" Merlin asked, confused. He looked over at Krysia, who just winced at him.

That was fast.

"I need a servant I can trust," Arthur seethed.

"Arthur," Krysia said gently, touching his arm, but he brushed her away roughly.

"If you aren't both out of my sight in ten seconds, Krysia," Arthur said coldly, "then I'll see to it that you are dismissed as well."

She hurried Merlin out of the room, but her throat felt incredibly constricted.

Apparently servants couldn't be friends with their masters after all.

/-/

Krysia followed Merlin down to the dragon's cave, but she had no heart in it. She wanted to go and help Gaius make the arrangements for Ewan's body. She wanted to think of ways to regain favor and keep her job.

"Merlin," she said as they were just outside the cave, "I'll meet you in the square, all right? I just... I need some air."

He nodded, hugging her as an apology before lighting her another torch for the walk up and going into the cave.

Krysia made her way to the steps leading to the square and sat down as gracefully as she could in her emotional state.

She thought about going to check on Ewan, but Gaius would have finished everything she could help with by this point. Part of her wanted to apologize to Arthur, but he would still be too angry, too raw to approach with reason.

It had been so foolish, she thought, the cool night air stinging her tear-filled eyes. Thinking that they could outwit Valiant like that, it had been so foolish. Whatever happened to keeping her head down, staying quiet?

If they knew, if they knew who she was, they would have listened to her. Uther would never have handed her a snake's severed head. Valiant would be burned for his treachery.

But if they knew, she would be burned as well, perhaps before she even had a chance to testify.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then rubbed her forehead with the heels of her palms.

And Merlin had gotten fired.

No, it hadn't been worth it. It had been foolish. There must have been some better way, some loophole they missed.

Merlin came and sat beside her.

"No answers again," he sighed. "Just riddles. Probably more productive out here."

"I doubt it," Krysia whispered.

She sounded like she had a head cold, so much had she cried since the tournament had gone sour. Merlin wrapped a comforting arm around her.

Krysia heard footsteps approaching and saw Gwen, who had also been at the court when Arthur had looked like a fool.

"Hello," Gwen said, smiling at them sadly.

"All right?" Merlin replied, and Gwen sat on the stair below Krysia, placing her hand on Krysia's lap.

"Is it true, what you said about Valiant using magic?" she asked. Krysia and Merlin nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"Why does everyone seem to think its down to us to do something about it?" Merlin groaned.

"Because it is!" Gwen insisted. "Isn't it? You've got to show everyone that you were right and they were wrong."

Krysia snorted.

"How are we supposed to do that?" she whispered. "Arthur won't listen anymore, and if I tried I'd be sacked. What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know," Gwen admitted, giving Krysia's leg a gentle, comforting squeeze.

"That's it," Merlin said softly, and Krysia followed his line of sight to a large stone dog across the courtyard. He got up and began to walk toward it.

"What are you talking about?" Krysia called.

"Have you got a wheelbarrow?" Merlin called back.

Realizing what Merlin planning, following him across the courtyard with Gwen.

It took about twenty minutes, a heavy-duty wheelbarrow, and a lot of effort from all three of them, but they managed to get the dog wheeled into Gaius's chambers not too long after.

Gaius raised his eyebrows at them.

"What are you doing with that?" he asked, pointing at the dog.

"I'm going to let everyone see the snakes for themselves!" Merlin said happily.

Krysia and Merlin moved the statue to their room and put it between their beds. Merlin took the book of spells from underneath a loose floorboard and they flipped through the pages until Krysia found a spell she thought should work.

"Bebay odothay arisan quickum," she read.

Merlin turned to the dog to try the spell.

"Bebay odothay arison quickum," he said. "Bebay odothay arison quickum."

They frowned at each other.

This plan might take a bit longer than originally anticipated.

/-/

Merlin was still attempting to get the dog to even twitch an hour later, with Krysia trying to pull off the spell every once in awhile. There was no change, no matter how they tried. Finally, Krysia got up, muttered something about getting a snack, and took off across the castle to Arthur's rooms.

"I thought I told you to get out of my sight," Arthur said sharply.

So he was still upset.

Krysia sighed, sitting down across from him.

"Please don't fight Valiant tomorrow," she said softly. "He'll... he'll use the shield against you and... Please."

Arthur looked up at Krysia, his eyes sad and slightly red.

"I know," he whispered.

"Then withdraw!" she urged him, moving to a closer chair, taking his hand in hers. "Don't fight!"

"Krysia, I have to," he muttered, looking down at her hand and covering with his other hand. "You know I have to."

"But you'll die," she choked out. "You'll die."

"I have to fight," he whispered. "It's my duty."

"I already have to bury Ewan," she managed to say through her shaky voice. "I don't want to bury you, too."

She began to cry with full force and Arthur hugged her tightly, letting her face rest against his chest and resting his own head on top of her head. She could feel his tears fall like a dripping cloth onto her hair and they just cried together for an hour.

/-/

Krysia watched Morgana sit down beside her, ready to watch once more as both Arthur and Valiant put on their helmets and began to fight. Morgana presented her hand to Krysia, who knew her friend was asking her to hold her hand, although she had not made the gesture in about seven years. Still, Krysia grasped Morgana's graceful hand tightly, giving it a comforting squeeze, and she received one in return.

As they fought, Valiant's helmet fell off, so Arthur took off his own for honor's sake. Krysia sat up a bit straighter, nervous. She could feel the king beside her, monitoring her, but she was too terrified to care.

Both of the knights lowered their mail coifs, then the fighting began again.

Krysia gasped when Valiant knocked Arthur down, stepping on his shield, then disarming him. She thought it was all over in that moment, but Arthur managed to stop the blow.

A few moments later, Valiant had Arthur pinned to the wall, but Arthur managed to shove him away, and in that moment, Krysia, and the rest of the crowd, saw the snakes on Valiant's shield come alive.

Many people stood and gasped, and Krysia saw Merlin across the way, looking at the snakes with grim satisfaction.

"What are you doing?" Valiant asked the snakes. "I didn't summon you!"

"He is using magic," Uther said, dumbfounded, looking over at Krysia for a moment with surprise before turning back to the snakes and Valiant.

"And now they see you for what you really are," Arthur snarled.

Valiant sent the snakes to the ground and it was then that Krysia realized that Arthur was still unarmed, his sword too far away to retrieve before the snakes got him.

"Kill him!" Valiant cried to the snakes, an order.

Arthur began to back away as the snakes readied themselves to attack. Morgana, panicked, grabbed a sword off a nearby knight and cried out, "Arthur!"

She tossed the sword and Arthur caught it, swinging it once at Valiant before swiftly killing the snakes. Turning his attentions back to the cheating knight, Arthur managed to disarm the stunned Valiant, then run him straight through.

As Valiant dropped, the crowd began to cheer, and Krysia cheered along with them.

Arthur had been vindicated.

Krysia was also pleased to note that as he left the stands, Arthur clapped Merlin on the shoulder. She couldn't be certain, but she wouldn't be surprised if Merlin had his job back.

She cheered all the louder.

/-/

At the banquet that night, not long after Krysia learned from Merlin that he had regained his job, she was stopped by Uther, who was still looking at her with consideration and confusion.

"Yes, my lord?" she asked, heart pounding.

"You killed the snake, Arthur tells me," he said quietly. "The one whose head was given as evidence at court."

"Yes, m'lord," Krysia responded, filling another cup of wine for Morgana.

"Turn your head a bit to the right, Krysia," Uther ordered her.

Krysia could feel her heart freeze in her chest again, but she did as she was asked, terrified that he would recognize her, as Gaius had been afraid for years that he eventually would.

"My lord?" she asked, as he just looked at her with a frown in silence for what felt like a long minute.

"It's just that... I, I thought you looked a great deal like someone," he muttered, furrowing his eyebrows. "Oh, I must have been mistaken, though," he said dismissively. "You can go back to work, Krysia. Take the night off when the banquet's done. I'll see that someone else covers your duties. You've had a rough few days."

"Thank you my lord," she said softly, finishing with Morgana's wine and not feeling fully relieved that he hadn't called her out and ordered her head taken off on the spot.

He'd noticed the resemblance. If he'd begun to think about it, it was only a matter of time before he learned he was right, that she was who he thought she might be, and that her trial would be the next on the docket.

Krysia gave Morgana her wine, which she started on immediately. Apparently she and Arthur had had one of their frequent fights, and she was none too pleased.

Too nervous to pay it too much attention, Kryisa made my way over to Merlin and Gaius, who were enjoying themselves.

"I hear you're re-employed," she said with a grin. "Congratulations."

"Well, it was really thanks to you," Merlin replied with a shrug. "I can't imagine that I would have mastered it in time if you hadn't picked out which to practice."

Gaius gave him a warning look, knowing that there were too many ears who might be able to discern that Merlin was talking about spells.

"Gaius, I need to speak with you in private," Krysia said softly. "The banquet's winding down, I won't be missed for the few moments it will take."

He followed her into a nearby store room and she locked the room and deadened the sound with a wave of her hand, mentally incanting the spells. Gaius gave her a solemn look.

"What's got you so nervous?"

"Uther has started paying attention to me," she muttered frantically. "He took a long look at me, thought I looked like someone he knew. He said he must have been mistaken, but that doesn't mean he wasn't lying. Gaius, what if he knows? What if he's thinking about it?"

Gaius frowned and whispered darkly, "We need to be more careful now more than ever. I knew this would happen the day I realized you were beginning to look like your mother."

"He knew her well, Gaius," Krysia said, beginning to feel panicked. "What am I going to do?"

"You can start by wearing your hair differently," he said, pointing at her bun. "She always wore it like that."

"I'm a serving girl," Krysia argued. "I don't have many options."

"You have some," he reminded her. "No more swordplay. You have your father's technique, and very few people fought that way. And whatever you do, _no magic_."

She could still hear her father in her ear, saying those very words to her. _No magic_. They had been his last words to her before leaving her, alone, in the woods to be found by some knight days later, someone who would not recognize her.

In truth, few would have been able to recognize her after a week alone in the woods, the daughter of Lord Marcial and Lady Zosia, eldest child of six, covered in mud, rough dress torn by brambles, gaunt, tangled hair, and terrified.

She had been fair haired, then, as so many children are.

She was the only survivor.

Zosia's sister, Marzena, the younger daughter of the late Lord Inthorn, had been a famous sorceress. Not the evil sort, but a woman who was known far and wide for her mastery of magic.

During the Great Purge, she was killed, and not long after the Purge was over, accusations were leveled on her sister, Zosia, whose peasants reported to Uther strange happenings.

Those happenings were not, actually, Zosia, but her eldest child, Krysia, who was too young to understand the dangers her barely-controllable magic posed. As with a handful of truly talented, untrained people possessing magic, she would have bursts of magic coming at the worst possible times.

And so her mother and brothers and sisters were all sentenced to death in absentia for practicing magic, despite the fact that baby Garethane was not even old enough to chew her own food.

Lord Marcial was sentenced to death for aiding and abetting practitioners of magic.

And Gaius helped smuggled little Krysia, the only child old and strong enough to survive the plan, into Camelot for safekeeping until she would be old enough to take care of herself.

And the rest of Krysia's family were slaughtered.

As agreed upon, Krysia said she could remember nothing of who she was or where she came from, just her name and that she had been in the woods for days. It was a common enough name that no one questioned it, and they never did figure out the name of the child they'd missed at the purging of her household. Creating an elaborate lie for a young child would have ensured her death, but she could remember not to remember, and the lie had worked.

The lie had worked for almost her entire life, and now, now that she was barely twenty two years old, it was about to fall apart.


	7. The Mark of Nimueh: Dark Side of Magic

**A/N: I thought I'd take a moment to address a reader concern I've been getting in comments: NO, I will not be covering every episode. I've already got a few in mind I'm almost certainly skipping, and more will likely crop up. In addition, Gwaine will NOT physically pop up earlier than he does in the show, but there will be other ways in which I'll slip in earlier bits of Gwaine. ;) No further hints will be given; you'll know it when you see it. I just really will be focusing heavily on the development of Krysia's other relationships, as they do grow and change a lot from when we first meet Merlin to when Gwaine shows up. Hope that soothes your fears, I'm also hoping to continue timely updates throughout the next few months to assuage some of the 'wait'. Feel free to toss any further questions or concerns my way!**

** -C**

The corpse in the lower town was not a new sight in and of itself to Krysia. She'd seen many corpses in her time living with, being raised by, Gaius. But this was something new, and she felt it.

"Aren't you scared?" Merlin asked, standing further away from the body than Krysia and Gaius did.

"Of what?" Krysia asked, not touching the corpse, but mostly because she would be serving food to the king later and didn't want to contaminate it.

"That you might catch whatever it is," Merlin said dully.

"I am the court physician, Merlin," Gaius said impatiently. "This is part of my job, and Krysia's as my assistant. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of."

Gaius turned the body over to revealed the white face and eyes of the corpse. Krysia gasped, taking a step back into Merlin, who grabbed her shoulders steadily.

"You were saying?" he muttered, looking a bit disgusted himself.

"People mustn't see this," Gaius said darkly, turning to the pair of them. "They'll panic."

Krysia got a wheelbarrow and some cloth and Gaius and Merlin moved the body into the wheelbarrow. Krysia covered it, making sure that there was no way that anyone could guess what they were carrying. Best not to excite any sort of controversy about the physician dumping bodies or something of that nature.

They'd reached the drawbridge when they came across Gwen, coming up to the castle with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, curious.

"Oh, just moving something," Krysia replied, nonchalant.

Gwen's brow furrowed.

"Looks heavy," she pointed out.

"Er, it's nothing really," Merlin said weakly, looking to change the subject. "Er... someone got you flowers?"

With a laugh, Gwen said, "Oh! No. Would you like one? A purple one. Purple suits you." She paused. "Not that I'm saying red doesn't suit you," she covered quickly, and Krysia giggled, glancing at Merlin's red uniform.

"Thanks," Merlin said, taking the flower from her. "Well, er..."

He looked around for a moment, then put the flower securely in his scarf.

"Aww," Krysia teased. "So sweet."

Merlin gave her a quick glare, then turned to Gwen and said, "Er... see you."

"Bye," Gwen chirped, heading off for her duties with Morgana that morning.

/-/

When they got the body back to the physician's chambers, Krysia watched as Gaius and Merlin looked the body over with a magnifying glass. She would have gotten closer, if only for the sake of pretense, but the very look of the corpse left her fighting the urge to be sick.

"I've never seen anything like this before," Gaius said ominously. Krysia shuddered.

"Do you think it could be some kind of plague?" Merlin asked.

Gaius shook his head and replied, "No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature. But who has this kind of power?"

Krysia looked over at Gaius sharply.

"Magic?" she whispered. "Someone did this with-?"

"Merlin!" called Arthur's voice sharply from the hall.

Merlin hurried out before Arthur could open the door and see the body, but Krysia got a sheet ready, just in case.

"Erm... I'm on my way," Merlin said. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry," Arthur said dryly. "I'm getting used to it."

There was a small pause and Krysia gripped the sheet tightly, ready to throw it over the corpse on a moment's notice.

"Oh," she heard Merlin say, "er... Gwen, she gave it to me."

Krysia held in a giggle.

"Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now," Arthur said sharply.

"Okay," Merlin said.

He closed the door again, turning back to them.

"Gaius," he began.

"We heard," Krysia said, putting the sheet over the body.

"Wait," Merlin said, thinking, "why couldn't he just tell you himself?"

"'Cause that's the way it is," Gaius explained. "You're a servant."

"Wha..." Merlin spluttered. "If he knew who I was, what I've done..."

"You'd be a dead servant," Krysia said coolly. "Go on, then, put these away," she snapped, handing Merlin a tray of things Gaius had gotten out to examine the body.

"Hey, I'm not your servant," Merlin complained.

"Yes, you are," Gaius said, amused. "Krysia's in charge of all the castle servants. That makes you, more or less, her servant!"

/-/

Krysia stood behind Gaius in the council chambers, trying to control her breathing. Thelwinn had been a good servant, one of the strongest and most dedicated, and now he was lying on the floor, magically dead. Krysia felt as though she wanted to vomit, but she could not let herself do so, especially not in front of the king.

"What's happened to him?" Uther demanded.

"I don't know, Sire," Gaius said, calm but to anyone who knew him in a crisis. "It's the second case we've seen today."

"Why didn't you report it to me?"

"We were attempting to find the cause," Gaius explained, not looking at Thelwinn, much in the way that Krysia was determinedly avoiding looking at the eerily white face.

"What did you conclude?" Uther asked sharply.

"I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions," Gaius said carefully. "A scientific process is a long one."

Uther's eyes narrowed and he looked at Krysia, who jumped slightly.

"What are you concealing from me?" Uther demanded.

"Sire, I have seen nothing like it," Gaius admitted slowly. "The victims are dying in 24 hours, and it's spreading fast."

"What is the cause?" Uther pressed.

"I think you should say the cause," Gaius said, exchanging worried looks with Krysia, "the most likely cause, is sorcery."

Uther pulled Arthur aside, but Krysia's careful ear could hear him say, "We must find who did this."

"I will, father," Arthur assured.

Uther's voice was reduced to little more than a nervous whisper, and yet still with all the power of a king as he said, "Conduct door to door searches. Increase your presence in the town. Double the guards at all the gates. And lend the physician your servant."

Arthur looked at his father, confused.

"Merlin? But..."

"I'm going to need Gaius to find a cure," Uther said urgently. "He needs all the help we can give him, and that includes Merlin and Krysia as often as they can be spared. If Gaius is right, believe me, this city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We must find this sorceror, and quickly."

"Yes, father," Arthur assured the king.

And Krysia could feel fear freeze hear stomach, wondering just how far they would go on the door to door searches, already thinking of a way to hide Merlin's book of spells.

/-/

Krysia, Merlin, and Gaius walked through the town together, looking for more bodies, watching Arthur and the guards move through the town, searching for the sorceror.

"Gaius?" Merlin said, pointing to a sick person. "Gaius. He's still alive."

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for him," Gaius said sadly.

Merlin looked up, confused, and said, "But we haven't even tried."

"No," Krysia said slowly. "But we can't cure something if we don't know what it is, what's causing it."

"Yes we can," Merlin said softly. "With magic."

Krysia shook her head, wincing, looking over at the guards.

"Have a look," Gaius said, gesturing to the guards. "They're suspicious of everyone. This is not the time to be using magic. Science will lead us to the source of the disease."

But Krysia wasn't so sure, looking around at the tightened security and feeling woozy.

They returned with the fresh materials Gaius had gathered to the physician's chamber, setting to work straight away, following Gaius's orders to the letter.

Krysia turned the heat on for Gaius when he asked, then backed away when he began to heat a vial of liquid.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked.

She wished he wouldn't have asked. When people were this sick, it was always better not to know.

"I'm examining the contents of that man's stomach," Gaius said calmly, and Krysia whimpered slightly, feeling the contents of her own stomach squirm with discontent.

"Will that tell you who did it?" Merlin pressed.

"Unlikely," Krysia said sourly. "But it's more likely to tell us how it spreads."

"Exactly," Gaius muttered, frowning at the vial. "One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind."

"Why would someone use magic like that?" Merlin asked.

"Magic corrupts," Krysia said softly, looking away from the body and the vial. She closed her eyes, remembering her aunt teaching her basic spells as a small child, spells she continued to use after the Purge, spells that caused so much trouble. "It's tempting to use it for the wrong reasons, personal gains, revenge, grudges."

"But not all magic is bad," Merlin insisted. "I know it isn't."

"It's neither good nor bad," Gaius assured him. "It's how you use it."

At that moment, Arthur and some of the guards came into the physician's quarters and Krysia snapped her eyes open again, terrified.

She hadn't dealt with the spellbook yet.

"Sorry, Gaius," Arthur said, motioning the guards in. "We're searching every room in town."

"What for?" Gaius asked indignantly.

"A sorceror," Arthur replied.

"And why would he be here?" Krysia demanded, barely able to keep the wobble out of her voice.

"I'm just doing my job, Krysia," Arthur said patiently. "You saw Thelwinn. This is urgent."

"It's all right," Gaius said to Krysia, then turning back to Arthur. "We've got nothing to hide.

Go on, search."

"All these books and papers?" Arthur asked, gesturing around.

"My life's work, dedicated to the understanding of science," Gaius said firmly. "You are quite welcome to read through them if you wish."

"What's this room up here?" Arthur said, motioning to the one place she was hoping he wouldn't enter.

"That would be where Merlin and I sleep," Krysia said sharply.

"And what do you expect to find in there?" Gaius said dismissively.

"I'm looking for material or evidences suggesting the use of enchantments," Arthur responded wearily.

Gaius turned to Krysia and Merlin, who looked back at him nervously. Krysia shook her head, wringing her hands. Arthur stepped into the room.

"Merlin, come here," Arthur said. "Look what I found."

Krysia and Merlin exchanged horrified looks and followed him into the small room.

"I found a place where you can put things," Arthur said sarcastically. "It's called a cupboard."

With a forced giggle, Krysia glanced around the room, spotting the book under Merlin's bed. With a flick of her finger, she covered the book with a bit of magic adjusting Merlin's bedsheet. Arthur glanced under the bed, but he didn't see the book, because then he straightened up and led everyone back out to the main room.

"How long do you think it may take you to find the cure?" Arthur asked Gaius.

"It depends on how many interruptions I get," Gaius responded curtly.

"Of course," Arthur said, a bit sheepish. "I'm sorry." He turned to the guards. "We're finished here."

They filed out of the room and Krysia shut the door behind them, whipping around and glaring at Merlin.

"You need a better place for that book," she hissed.

"No," Merlin insisted, "We must use it."

"Don't be stupid," Gaius admonished.

"If I have this legacy then what's it for?" Merlin demanded. "You keep telling me it's not for tricks."

"Merlin, don't be a fool," Krysia sighed, her voice strained. "You can't be practicing magic while this witch hunt is going. You'd be killed, or worse, you'd hurt someone else."

"You keep panicking that I'm going to get you in trouble, but-"

"Not necessarily me!" Krysia cried. "Look, when I was a child, my magic drew suspicion and my entire family was murdered by Uther. I was seven. My siblings were all younger than me, all found guilty of using magic I had practiced, and killed. I was the only one who had done anything, and my parents conspired with Gaius to save me." She shivered. "You don't want someone else's life on your shoulders like that, Merlin. It's a terrible, terrible burden."

He swallowed visibly, shook his head slightly, and perhaps was about to say words of pity, but then his eyes hardened slightly and he said, "But if I don't practice, then how will I get to be this great warlock?"

"There will come a time when your skills will be recognized," Gaius told him soothingly.

"When?" Merlin demanded. "How long do I have to wait?"

"Patience is a virtue, Merlin," Gaius said gently.

"Sitting by and doing nothing, that's a virtue?"

"We have to choose our battles carefully, Merlin," Krysia whispered. "Now is not the right time to try something like that."

"I could cure that man we saw," Merlin insisted.

Gaius said, "I know it's tempting to use the way you find easiest, Merlin..."

"It is when it saves a life," Merlin grumbled.

"If you'd saved that man, we'd be no closer to finding a cure for everyone," Krysia sighed. "We need to focus our energy on helping as many as possible."

"Arthur is out there right now looking for the sorcerer!" Merlin cried.

"A sorcerer who is powerful enough to do this will never be found by searching the town," Gaius said sadly.

Merlin sighed and said, "So what can we do?"

"Hope that science can find the answer before it kills us all."

/-/

Krysia shivered as Gaius examined the latest body, one placed on the table.

Shireen.

She'd been a precocious young woman, one who always gave Krysia a bit of her best food whenever Krysia delivered her meal. Shireen always told Krysia that she was the best servant to ever work at Camelot, despite of the relative youth of both of them.

Dead, pale, white eyes...

Krysia turned away when she felt she was about to be sick.

"What's different about this victim?" Gaius asked Merlin promptly.

"Er... she's a woman," Merlin offered.

Krysia could hear Gaius's exasperation as he said, "Sometimes I do whether whether your magical talents were given to the right person. Anything else?"

"She's a courtier," Krysia whispered, looking pointedly at her own hands.

Shireen still had the most graceful hands, even in death.

Krysia looked up at the jars, reciting in her mind all of the contents in order.

"How does that help us?" Merlin asked, confused.

"Courtiers seldom go into the lower town," Gaius explained. "So what does that mean?"

"Erm... that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople," Merlin said slowly.

Krysia snorted.

"Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact," Gaius said fairly as Krysia sat down on a far bench, watching them pointedly so as not to glance accidentally at Shireen.

"Oh, and they probably ate different food," Merlin said excitedly.

"Good, anything else?" Gaius prompted.

"They don't breathe the same air even," Krysia said lazily. "Shireen doesn't even like going into the parts of the castle where the air is less than fresh, much less the town."

"So what's the only thing they do share?" Gaius pressed, turning to Merlin.

"Water," Merlin said without thinking. Then he frowned slightly. "Water? You think the disease is spread through water?"

Gaius smiled.

"Merlin, you're a prodigy," he said dryly, handing Merlin a bucket. Krysia and Merlin then exchanged nervous looks and made their way down to the well in the lower town.

"Are you okay?" Merlin asked Krysia as they neared the well.

"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes narrowed.

"It's just that you don't seem to be taking all the sick people very well," Merlin said with a shrug. "And you know a lot of the victims..."

"I just deal well with the ill," Krysia admitted. "Let's get this water and get this over with."

They'd just finished filling the bucket when a person ran past them desperately in the night. It took a moment to register, but then both recognized her.

"Gwen," Krysia muttered, running after the girl.

"Gwen? Krysia!" Merlin cried, running after the two girls with the bucket full of water.

Krysia caught up with Gwen as they entered the physician's chambers, where Gaius looked up at them, startled.

"Gwen!" he said, stunned.

"Gaius," she choked out.

"You have the sickness?" he asked urgently.

Gwen shook her head, eyes full of tears, trying to compose herself.

"My father," she cried. "Please, Gaius, he's all I have."

"There isn't a cure yet, Gwen," Krysia whispered. "These things take time."

"I am begging you!" Gwen sobbed.

"I wish there was something, anything," Gaius assured her, "but so far the remedy is beyond what I can achieve."

Krysia put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm so, so, sorry, Gwen," she managed to say, but Gwen ran back out of the room, leaving Krysia's hand out in the air for a moment before Krysia dropped her arm, sad.

"There must be something we can do," Merlin said, heaving the water up onto the table in front of Gaius.

"My best," Gaius said, gesturing to the bucket. "Let's hope that this can provide us with some answers."

"That's too late for Tom, though," Krysia sighed, beginning a fire for Gaius. She had known Gwen's father for years and knew few men as good as the kind blacksmith.

"I fear you may be right," Gaius said sadly.

To the surprise of both Merlin and Krysia, Gaius poured some of the water into a jar, then placed a flower into the jar. Krysia watched, trying to figure out what Gaius was up to.

She barely noticed when Merlin stalked off to their room without a word.


	8. The Mark of Nimueh: Close and Closer

Krysia had nightmares of pale faces most of the night, dreams of those she loved dead and dying. When she saw Leon's face as a mask of white, his normally kind eyes just another part of the mask, she awoke with a scream, covering her mouth quickly with the blanket her shaking, sweaty hands had already been clutching.

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to go back to sleep, knowing that there would be so much work to do in the morning, but it was an uneasy sleep for the rest of the night.

When she awoke the next morning she found that Merlin was snoring heartily and with a glance out into the square she could see even more bodies piling up and she shivered.

In spite of a sense that something in the room was off, Krysia couldn't put her finger on what it was, so she moved to get dressed.

No sooner had she gotten dressed, readied her hair a bit, and moved out of her room, did Gaius frown at her and say, "Oh, good. There's no time to waste. We are wanted at the council chamber right away. I didn't want to have to wake you."

Krysia followed Gaius quickly as they could go to the council chamber, where Arthur and the king were sitting, waiting for the report on what Gaius had learned.

Gaius explained the issue with the water, putting the sample of the flower in water in front of them. Krysia frowned at it.

Arthur reached out for the vial, but Gaius stopped him.

"Don't touch it," Gaius warned. "I had this in the water for no more than a few hours."

"Where's the water from?" Uther asked.

"The pump from where the people take their daily supply," Gaius told him.

"We have to stop the people from using it," Arthur pressed in his sure-of-himself way.

Krysia shook her head and said, "Begging pardon, but that will only work so long. A lucky, healthy person can only last a few days without water. A city will not last long."

"We have to find this sorceror!" Uther growled.

"I don't believe that they're in Camelot," Arthur offered.

"Then extend the search to the villages!"

"We've started, but I can't search the entire kingdom," Arthur said sadly, glancing at Krysia.

"And I can't stand by and watch our people dying," Uther said, and Arthur spared one last look at the flower before nodding and heading away. Uther then turned to Krysia. "I have a report from Morgana that her maid's father took ill and she might be a bit distracted. Please tend to Morgana while this grieving is taking place.

"Of course, your majesty," Krysia said, curtsying before she glanced at Gaius and hurried off to Morgana's quarters.

She arrived just in time to see Merlin walking into the quarters and she got that feeling back that something was wrong. It was intensified by the sight of Gwen there, smiling, gathering Morgana's clothes.

Oh, she was going to kill him.

"How's your father?" Merlin asked Gwen. "Is he feeling better?"

"Yeah, it's incredible," Gwen said breathlessly. "It's a miracle."

"His skin's clearer?" Merlin pressed. "Back to normal?"

"Yes," Gwen assured him.

Krysia wanted to string him up by his ankles. She was ready to hang him from the window then and there. Her imagination was thinking of all sorts of creative ways to make him suffer for being so stupid, but none of them seemed quite good enough.

"Great," Merlin said, smiling.

He was about to leave when Gwen said, "You don't seem surprised."

Oh, but Gwen had to be shrewd. It had to be Gwen, one of the smartest servants in the castle. Krysia gripped at something she could squeeze without breaking it: a candlestick.

"Oh, he looks surprised to me," Krysia lied. "That's his surprised face. I know it looks as stupid as the other faces, but there's only so much variety you can have with a face like that."

Merlin gave her an annoyed look, but Gwen didn't seem convinced.

"But how did he know he was well?" she pressed.

"Er... because you're smiling," Merlin invented. Krysia had to admit, it might have worked if he wasn't Merlin and a bit of a proven idiot.

"That's really weird," Gwen said, "because I haven't told anyone, but you know. How could you know?"

"Yeah. Alright. You finally found out, I'll tell you," Merlin said, and Krysia gripped the candlestick a bit tighter, wanting badly to hit him upside the head, perhaps even subconsciously preparing to do so. "I'm psychic."

Her hand relaxed, but only slightly as Gwen giggled and said, "No, you're not."

"It's true," Merlin insisted.

"Alright, what am I thinking?" she challenged.

"That he's not a psychic," Krysia offered teasingly, wanting to diffuse the tension as much as possible.

"Hey," Merlin protested.

Gwen giggled again and said, "You're strange. I, I don't mean that in a nasty way. You're just funny. I like that."

"Erm, er, I'm pleased for you," Merlin said awkwardly. Krysia wondered for a moment if maybe Merlin wasn't attracted to Gwen. After all, she was a very pretty girl, and he'd done something very stupid on her behalf...

"Thank you," Gwen said with a smile.

"What for?" Merlin asked.

"Don't know," she replied. "Just for asking."

"Anyone ought to have," Krysia started, but Merlin talked over her.

"I didn't like to see you upset," Merlin said. "I have to... get on."

He waved awkwardly and that really sealed it. Gwen waved back and Merlin left but Krysia raised her eyebrows at him as he turned to leave and she saw him turn pink. Not only did he know she knew about the magic, but he might even suspect that she knew he had some sort of feelings for Gwen.

Krysia helped Gwen gather up the last few things and said, "Well, since things are all right here I hope you don't mind if I see to some of the things Gaius needs of me?"

"Of course!" Gwen said with a frown. "I can't stand to think of all those people dying."

Krysia kissed her friend on the cheeks and went on her way back to the physician's quarters.

On her way, though, she stopped to look in on the work of some of the girls in her service who were responsible for the decorations and their health around the castle. There were a few places to check for them around the castle, and by the time she found them they were gossiping.

"Oh, did you hear, Krysia?" Jayne asked anxiously. "About Gwen, I mean."

"I heard that her father recovered," Krysia said slowly, wondering what they were referring to. "A miracle."

"More like witchcraft," Jayne hissed nervously. "She's been arrested. They found a poultice. Screaming all up the hall."

"Oh no," Krysia muttered. "The silver looks fine, girls, I just remembered something Gaius asked me to see to."

She ran as quickly as she could to the physician's quarters and told Gaius as soon as she arrived that Gwen had been arrested.

"I'll be right back," Gaius growled, going out the door and returning several minutes later with Merlin in tow, slamming the door behind them.

"What've you done?!" he demanded angrily of Merlin.

"What?" Merlin asked, although he knew full well what was being discussed.

"Don't play a fool, Merlin," Krysia sighed. "It doesn't suit you. Whatever good you thought you were doing, you made a terrible mistake."

"I couldn't let her father die knowing I could cure him," Merlin defended.

"Didn't you think it might look suspicious, the curing of one man?" Gaius pointed out.

"Well, then all I have to do is... I'll cure everyone! No one will ever have to know it was magic!"

"It's too late for that, Merlin!" Krysia cried. "They think Gwen's the sorceress they're looking for, that she caused the disease!"

"But she didn't!" Merlin cried, making to leave.

"Oh, and how do you think you're going to prove that?!" Gaius demanded.

Merlin paused for a moment, looking at them before he turned and rushed out again.

Krysia sighed.

"I've got to go after him again, don't I?"

Gaius nodded.

Krysia got to her feet and went off after Merlin, musing that she would have to have her clothes refitted if he stayed around for any length of time at all.

After Krysia had fetched Merlin back from his unproductive brooding they sat brooding together in the physician's chambers, trying to think of what could be done to help Gwen, who was set to be burned at the stake.

"I thought I was doing a good thing and that curing Gwen's father would help her," Merlin sighed. "I thought I was saving a life. It seemed so simple."

"An easy solution is like a light in a storm, Merlin," Gaius counseled wisely. "Rush for it at your peril, for it may not always lead you to a safe harbour."

"I can see that now," Merlin pouted.

Krysia sighed and said, "The real problem is will you see it when the next storm comes along? How many times do we have to remind you of the responsibilities of your gift?"

"I must see her," Merlin said, looking up at Krysia.

"Do you listen at all when I talk?" Krysia asked dryly. "Or do you simply wait until I stop to say what you're actually thinking of?" Gaius gave her a look at Krysia sighed. "Oh, all right. I'll take you to see her."

They followed the increasingly familiar path to the dungeons and Krysia sighed, "You know, Merlin, I know you don't like me telling you, but-"

"But I was a fool and I need to control myself a bit more," he said with a wry smile. "I know, Krysia. I'm not offended. You are usually right, after all, and I have a lot left to learn." His expression darkened as they neared the cells. "Obviously."

They passed a clearly distraught Morgana on the way down, who said not a word, but rushed up the stairs past them as they descended the last few steps to Gwen's cell.

"Gwen," Merlin said, rushing forward, upset to see her standing there looking so dejected. Krysia actually took a moment to compose herself before joining him at the bars, not wanting to cry like Morgana had.

The chains didn't go far enough for Gwen to be at the door, and it was clear that she was crying, but she tried so very hard to look brave.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Both of you."

"What for?" Merlin asked.

"For coming to see me," Gwen said simply, attempting to smile, but failing.

"I'm sorry," Krysia said, touching the bars. "Oh, Gwen, if I had only known-"

"It's not your fault, it's nobody's fault," Gwen said, shaking her head. Krysia stiffened slightly.

"Well..." Merlin said slowly, but Krysia gave him a withering look out of the corner of her eye and he quieted quickly.

"It's all right," Gwen said, trying to be brave. "Don't worry about me. There's no point crying about it. I mean...I mean, I'm not saying that you were going to cry about me. Obviously I don't think that."

"Oh, Gwen," Merlin sighed. "I can't have this happen."

Krysia flinched.

That sounded very much like him interfering again, and she knew nothing good ever came of Merlin interfering.

Excepting that one time when he saved Arthur's life. And that other time when he saved Arthur's life. But otherwise, nothing at all.

"Please, one thing," Gwen said softly, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. "You, you don't have to, but..."

"What is it, Gwen?" Krysia said softly, promising silently to honor her friend's last request. It was the least she could do for not keeping a better leash on Merlin.

"Remember me."

"You're not going to die," Merlin said firmly. "I'm not going to let this happen."

He then rushed back up the stairs and Krysia stared after him for a moment, sighing.

"Yes, interfering again," she muttered, and left Gwen standing bewildered and upset in the cell before rushing off after Merlin again, making sure he didn't get into any further trouble that night.

Unfortunately, where she followed him was straight to the council chamber, and she had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly what foolishness he was about to commit when he burst through the door, Krysia following not far behind, unable to stop him.

"It was me!" he said wildly. "It was me who used magic to cure Gwen's father!"

The whole council stared at Merlin as Krysia held her breath, praying that he wouldn't be believed. It was just too much stress to deal with in one day, and they hadn't even found the real sorcerer yet.

Speaking of...

"Gwen's not the sorcerer, I am!" Merlin claimed, unperturbed by the befuddled stares in his direction.

Gaius stood and said demandingly, "Merlin! Are you mad?"

"Merlin, please don't do this," Krysia said nervously, knowing that Gaius would blame her if Merlin actually did get believed and executed. Gwen was a better servant, honestly, but what with all this destiny business she felt obliged to at least try to keep him alive.

"I cannot let her die for me," Merlin said firmly. He then turned to Uther, who was watching him, stunned. "I place myself at your mercy."

Krysia could have smacked her forehead. If there was any way for things to go more badly than they'd done before, this had to be it.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," Gaius said.

"I do," Merlin insisted.

"Then arrest him," Uther said simply to the guards, who still seemed a bit confused.

"Father, please! I can't allow this!" Arthur cried. Krysia raised her eyebrows with surprise, but she was glad she didn't have to be the only one defying Uther on this matter. "This is madness! There's no way Merlin's a sorcerer."

Oh, how she would have liked very much to have laughed at that, but Krysia was so well-trained at keeping secrets that she just watched. Besides, she was still a bit queasy at the whole situation they found themselves in.

"Did you not hear him?" Uther asked his son.

"Yes," Arthur admitted.

"He admitted it."

"He saved my life, remember," Arthur floundered.

"Why should he fabricate such a story?"

This ought to be good, Krysia mused as Arthur looked at her for a moment, trying to decide what to say.

"As Gaius said," Arthur spluttered, "he's got a...grave mental disease."

It was getting a bit harder not to laugh, but the thought of dying or being arrested held her at bay.

"Really?" Uther said, disbelieving.

"He's in love," Arthur supplied.

"What?" Krysia spat, unable to contain herself.

"With Gwen," Arthur continued, nodding. Uther began to grin and Krysia found herself beginning to follow suit.

"I am not," Merlin insisted.

"Yes, you are," Arthur informed him firmly.

"No way."

"I saw you yesterday with that flower she'd given you."

"I'm not in love with her," Merlin reiterated, obviously growing distressed that no one would believe him.

Arthur put his arm around Merlin and Krysia stifled a giggle.

"It's all right, Merlin," she said softly. "You don't have to hide it anymore. You can admit it."

"I don't even think of her like that!" Merlin said, outraged, clearly furious with both Krysia and Arthur, but saving his life started looking a whole lot easier.

"Perhaps she cast a spell on you," Uther offered.

Krysia would have kissed him if he weren't king.

Arthur, though, turned to look at his father with concern, but his father let out a small laugh and the council followed suit. Bolstered by this encouragement, Arthur finished the case.

"Merlin is a wonder, but the wonder is that he's such an idiot. There's no way he's a sorcerer."

"Don't waste my time again," Uther warned. "Let him go."

When Gaius and Krysia got back to their shared space, Merlin exploded.

"Arthur's the idiot," he insisted, sulking.

"He was helping you, Merlin," Krysia said softly. "He did the right thing, and kept me from having to risk my own job to save your scrawny neck."

"What else could I do?" Merlin demanded. "It's my fault Gwen's going to die."

"Yes," Gaius agreed, "but you don't prove her innocence by offering to jump into the flames. "You do it by finding out what's causing the disease!"

"Well, that puts the burden on us entirely, then," Krysia said with a grin. "We now know that Arthur couldn't spot sorcerers even if they present themselves before him and admit their guilt!"

"Sometimes they're pretty hard to spot," Gaius said, giving her an amused smile, although Merlin was a bit giddy about Arthur's being wrong.

"Well, maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat," he offered.

"They don't come in your size," Krysia teased, and Merlin was about to retort when Gaius cut them both off.

"Forget that. If we're going to save Gwen, we need to discover what's contaminating the water."

They got together all of the supplies Gaius told them to grab. They then followed him down to the tunnel that led to the water supply.

Gaius had never taken Krysia down there before, and she honestly hoped he never took her down there again. She didn't like dark, cold, damp places.

"The water from here supplies the whole town," he explained, holding his torch. "Take samples." Merlin and Krysia took the bottles they'd brought and filled them with the water from the source. Krysia shivered, thinking of how many people this very water had killed.

"Let's get out of here," Krysia murmured. "I'd rather examine it back there than in this place."

A strange, angry creature that appeared to be made out of clay came up out of the water and Krysia and Merlin stumbled backward.

"What the hell was that?" Merlin demanded, but Gaius grabbed Merlin by the arm and they followed Krysia out, who was running away as if her life depended upon it, because for all she knew, it did.


	9. The Mark of Nimueh: Resolution

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to new reader, **_**duchess123**_**. Thanks for reading, **_**duchess**_**! I hope you continue to enjoy this story! I promise Gwaine will show up soon!**

** -C**

"Here," Gaius said, pointing to the pages of an open book. "It was an Afanc."

Krysia leaned over to get a better look, still shaken up from the events in the tunnel.

"An… a what?" Merlin asked, frowning down at the pages.

"It's a creature born of clay," Krysia read, looking over the passage carefully. "But this can only made by the most powerful sorcerers. We're dealing with serious business." She ran her finger across the page, hoping, searching…. But there was nothing. "It doesn't say how to defeat one, Gaius."

But Gaius, she found when she turned to look at him, was already considering the books on his shelf, looking for one that might have the answers.

"That could take days," Merlin argued. "Gwen'll be dead by then."

"Have you got a better idea?" Gaius challenged, and Merlin left the room. "After him, Krysia. Make sure he doesn't behave like an idiot again."

Krysia sighed, rushing after him. She saw the pyre being put up in the square as she trailed behind Merlin, and when they reached the dungeons she saw Gwen lying on the floor of her cell dejectedly.

"Oh, Gwen," she murmured, frowning down at her poor friend.

But Merlin kept pressing on, and with a sinking feeling Krysia realized where he was leading her.

They reached the cave holding the Great Dragon and Merlin called out, "Hello?"

"Hello," responded that smug voice, and Krysia drew back slightly as the dragon came down to them, perching on its rock and looking at them. "The great warlock and enchantress return, as I knew they would."

"I need to know how to defeat an Afanc," Merlin said firmly.

Either he wasn't as afraid of the dragon as Krysia, or his anger at the events he'd put into motion were overcoming his fear, because he was facing down this great beast as if he'd been doing it his whole life.

"Yes, I suppose you do," the dragon replied lazily.

This made Krysia angry enough to step forward and say, "Well, are you going to tell us how or not?"

The dragon blinked lazily at her and said, "Trust the elements that are at your command."

Well, that was about as unhelpful as it got.

"Elements?" Merlin asked, puzzled. "But what is it that I have to do?"

"Even you two cannot do this alone," the dragon drawled. "You are but one side of a coin, Merlin, but Krysia is on a different coin entirely. Merlin is the other side of yours."

Krysia looked at the dragon, knowing that whoever the other side of her coin was would surely be the father of these children she was supposedly going to have. At least he wasn't Arthur. That had to be an improvement.

"I-I don't understand," Merlin complained. "Just tell me what it is I have to do."

Instead, the Great Dragon flew off from its perch.

"No!" Krysia cried. "No, please, we need help! What do we have to do?"

"I have told you," the dragon replied, laughing.

"Oh, yeah, right," Merlin said, still a bit confused. "Thanks."

When they got back to Gaius's chambers, they began searching through the books, Krysia getting stacks off the shelf, each of them taking half and sifting through.

Gaius came in and frowned at them.

"What are you doing?" Gaius asked, confused.

"Looking for a book," Krysia announced wearily.

"Are you going to tell me which one?" Gaius pressed, glancing at the incredible variety of books they had spread out before them.

"A book on elements," Merlin explained, flipping through the pages of the one in his hands, perhaps a bit faster than was advisable.

"Elements?" Gaius asked, confused.

"Elements," Krysia muttered. "Any way to help us narrow this search a bit, Gaius?"

"Well," Gaius sighed, sitting down across from her, "most of them. The study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process."

"But relating to the Afanc and killing it," she replied drily. "I already knew about the science bit."

Gaius sat thoughtfully, looking down at the books as the pair continued their flipping. Then he replied, "Well, the Afanc is a creature made of earth and water. That's two of the four base elements."

"What about the other two?" Merlin asked, and Krysia sat up, putting down her book, beginning to see what the dragon was trying to tell them.

"If it takes two to make, maybe it takes two to destroy!" she said happily. "Fire! Wind and fire!"

"And how did you two figure all this out?" Gaius asked suspiciously.

The pair looked at each other nervously.

"Erm… I just knew, you know?" Merlin finally said, casually as possible, and Gaius raised his eyebrows. "One of my powers, you know?"

Krysia would have laughed, but instead she said, "Tell him what else your powers told you, Merlin."

"That I am only one side of a coin," Merlin said wearily. "The brighter side, obviously."

This time Krysia did give a snort of laughter, and Gaius raised his eyebrows even higher.

"And who's the other side?" he prompted.

"That would be Arthur," Krysia said promptly, relishing Merlin's sour look.

Just then Morgana burst into the room all in a flurry, very clearly upset. Krysia dropped her book and stood.

"They're bringing forward the execution," Morgana said wildly. "We have to prove Gwen's innocence."

"We're trying," Gaius assured her.

"Please, just tell me what I can do to help," Morgana insisted.

"We need Arthur," Merlin said, although he didn't seem too pleased about it.

"Arthur?" Morgana asked him, confused.

"There's a monster in the water supply," Krysia explained. "It's called an Afanc. It's what's making the people sick."

"Well, we must tell Uther," Morgana said boldly, with all of the assurance of someone who was used to not only knowing an answer, but having it be the right one.

"The Afanc's a creature forged by magic," Gaius explained. "Telling Uther won't save Gwen. He'd just blame her for conjuring it."

"So what are we to do?" Morgana asked, once again looking a bit desperate.

Merlin drew himself up.

"We need to destroy it," he said. "Then the plague will stop and Uther may see sense."

"And that's why you need Arthur," Morgana said, understanding.

"Yes, he's the best chance we have at slaying monsters," Krysia agreed. "But you know he won't want to disobey Uther."

Morgana grinned and said, "Leave that to me."

As she left to gather Arthur for the task at hand, Gaius handed the key to the water supply tunnels to Merlin, who gave Krysia an expectant look.

She was going to have to go back, and she was already dreading it.

Krysia and Merlin awaited Morgana and Arthur in the square, and Krysia was surprised that not long after Arthur approached them.

"You'd better be right about this, Merlin," Arthur growled as they stood in the doorway to the tunnel, lighting torches. There was the sound of a growl deep in the tunnel and Morgana gasped.

"You should stay here," Krysia said softly. "I wish I could, but-"

"I'm coming with you," Morgana demanded, as Krysia knew she would.

"No," Arthur said firmly.

"Afraid she'll make you look weak in front of servants?" Krysia teased, but Arthur didn't seem amused.

"Father will slam us both in chains if he knew we'd endangered her," Arthur said, "and probably her along with us."

"Well, good thing he doesn't know about it, then," Morgana said, smiling.

"But if you get hurt," Krysia reasoned, "he will know. And you could get hurt."

"So could the pair of you," Morgana said coldly. "If you don't get out of my way."

Krysia looked over to see that Merlin was amused, although Arthur certainly didn't seem to find any humor in what they were doing, especially Morgana's behavior, as if they could have expected anything less.

"How are we going to find it?" Morgana asked as they passed around torches and began their descent.

"No idea," Krysia admitted, "but hopefully we find it before it finds us."

Arthur spun around abruptly.

"Stop."

They all turned and stopped.

"What?" Merlin asked, straining to see in the darkness.

"A shadow, probably," Krysia whispered. "Everything looks like a monster down here."

Arthur nodded slowly and they turned around, continuing to move, going close to the water supply.

"Spread out," Arthur ordered.

They did so, although Krysia hadn't gotten very far when she heard a growl and she hurried back to find that Morgana had also rushed to Arthur.

"What is it?" Morgana demanded. "Are you all right?"

"He looks fine," Krysia said, checking him over to be sure.

"Did you see it?" Merlin demanded, closing in on them as well.

"Yes," Arthur said brushing Krysia away, still disoriented, but otherwise fine.

"And?" Krysia asked. "What did it look like?"

He turned to her and opened his mouth, frowning slightly.

"It - it's quick."

As he said this, the Afanc came up in front of Morgana, who screamed. Arthur chased after it, still disoriented though he was, but it disappeared once more.

"Where is it?" he cried.

"This way, I think," Krysia said nervously, gesturing down the pathway, and they followed her, heading forward as a group once more. As they went, the Afanc came into full view around the corner and Arthur swung at it, losing his sword as the thing swiped away Morgana's torch.

"Arthur, use the torch!" Merlin cried, and Arthur began to brandish the flame at the beast. Krysia heard Merlin mutter, "_Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan._" As he said his spell, the flame blew the flames of Arthur's torch into the Afanc, using wind and fire to incinerate the creature.

It was over.

The following morning, Krysia was asked to accompany Gaius in telling Uther about the events in the tunnel, to prove Gwen's innocence. She was nervous, but there was no better way to clean up Merlin's mess.

They sat in the council chamber, Krysia feeling strange sitting rather than standing at the fringes as a servant. But as a representative with Gaius, she had the right, so she tried to remember how her mother had taught her to sit as if she belonged, and she held her head up high enough to belong, but low enough to not seem insolent.

"It's very good," Uther said, laughing over a parchment one of his councilors had given him.

"Good news, Sire," Gaius said, his turn coming. "There are no new deaths, and those that were sick are recovering."

"Good," Uther agreed firmly. "Strange, I've never heard of an Afanc before."

Gaius nodded at Krysia, who cleared her throat.

"The Afanc," she recited, "is a creature only summoned by powerful magic. Only an ancient sorcerer with the power to mirror the spirit of life can invoke it. I…I found this at the water source and Gaius told me to bring it." She held forward the cracked egg shell she'd found after they defeated the Afanc.

"It bears the mark of Nimueh, sire," Gaius said softly. "We must be vigilant, sire."

"Will I never be rid of her?" Uther growled.

Krysia frowned, confused.

Who was Nimueh, and what did she have to do with Camelot? What was she not being told?

"Sire," Gaius began slowly, but Uther cut him off in anger.

"Leave me!"

Everyone left quickly, letting Uther be alone in his council chamber.

"Who is Nimueh?" Krysia hissed at Gaius as they left the chamber.

"Never you mind," he replied, which of course meant that something very important was being kept from her. Gaius never kept things from her unless they were important.

Later that night, after Gwen had been freed and returned safely to her father, Gaius, Krysia, and Merlin sat down for their first normal dinner since they found the first body infected with the mysterious disease.

"This fish didn't come from the water, did it?" Merlin asked as he nervously poked at the food on his plate.

"Of course it came from the water, you idiot," Krysia laughed, rolling her eyes. "The water's perfectly clean now. Anyway, you've got bigger things to worry about. According to Gaius there's a very powerful sorcerer you've just thwarted, so I would assume you should be hoping she didn't notice you. Or me. But mostly you."

"Doubt it," Merlin said sullenly. Krysia raised her eyebrow. "Well, nobody else seems to appreciate my skills. I just want someone to see me for who I am."

"One day, Merlin," Gaius replied comfortingly. "One day."

"One day what?" Krysia asked, cutting her own fish.

"One day, people won't believe what an idiot he was."

"Thanks," Merlin said sarcastically.

The three of them toasted, and the rest of the meal was had in comfortable companionship. Krysia had to admit, when Merlin wasn't off being a complete, bungling idiot, he was good to have around.

That night, she crawled into bed, falling asleep rather quickly, sinking into the murky world of dreams.

_A handsome man with dark hair and dark eyes was smiling at her roguishly._

_ "M'lady," he said with a bow. "I will keep your secret, if you keep mine."_

_ In another flash she saw the same man, but his face changed, much more sober and solemn as he pressed a tender hand to her covered abdomen, fear and wonder in his eyes. She could feel something kicking out at his hand and those dark eyes widened with shock as his hand pulled away as if it had been nicked._

_ "I'm frightened," she heard her voice say._

_ "I'm not," he told her, his voice reedy and dry. "I'm terrified."_

Krysia jolted awake, truly frightened as she tried to hold on to the face of the man in her dream, a face so kind and handsome she was sure she'd never seen one like it before. But she was too distracted by her fear, her pounding heart, the feel of kicking in her belly that had been so immediate, so real.

She looked over at Merlin, who was fast asleep and, of course, snoring like a contented pig. Krysia looked out at the moon for a moment before crawling out of bed, putting on a cloak, and steadying herself with a deep breath. She knew what she had to do, but she hated having to talk to the beast.

With the conviction of one who was allowed to wander the castle at night (because technically, with her position, she was), Krysia marched down to the dungeons, ignored the kindly questions of the guards, one of whom was Leon, and made her way down to the cave which held the Great Dragon.

"Hello?" she cried out into the darkness.

Before she heard a word in answer, the dragon flew toward her, landing on his perch across the chasm, grinning at her, if it could be said that dragons grinned.

"Hello, little enchantress," the dragon said, bowing his head slightly. "Bad dreams once more?"

"Secrets," she demanded. "He said he would keep my secrets if I kept his."

"He will keep them," the dragon drawled. "But that is not what concerns you."

"How could I tell that to a man?" she cried. "Why would I? I could be killed for that!"

"It is not your magic he is talking about, although one day he will learn of that as well," the Great Dragon told her in his most pompous voice. If it had been advisable to slap a dragon, Krysia might have given into the urge in that moment. "You know your other secret."

"They are linked," Krysia insisted.

The dragon laughed his cruel, knowing laugh, and she had never felt so pitiful in her life. Had all of his kin been so condescending, or had the years chained up in the cave done that to him?

"They are," he finally said. "But the telling of them need not be. A little girl whose family was killed during the purge need not herself contain the ability. He is hiding as many secrets as you, enchantress."

Her heart began to race as she tried to recall the handsome face, but it was slipping from her even as it began to form. She felt a great sense of loss at the inability to recall it, like she was forgetting an old friend.

"When will I meet him?" she demanded of the dragon.

"Soon enough," the dragon said cryptically, grinning once more.

"But how soon is that?" she demanded. "Soon can mean many things for one who has lived as long as you!"

The dragon laughed again, and despite her cries of protest, he began to flap his wings loudly, and took off away from her view.

"All in good time, little one. All in good time!"

Krysia swallowed her anger and her tears and stood there in the dark, half hoping that the dragon would return and say more, but knowing that he would not. Then, once she had gathered herself she walked back up, past the guards, and barely paused when Leon called her name, running after her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, frowning at her. "You seem…upset."

"Bad dream," she lied, for all of her that was afraid of the dream also hoped it would return when she closed her eyes again. "I needed a walk."

"Would you like to talk about it?" he asked her gently, holding out his hand to hug her as he had done when they were children.

She smiled at him, hugging him gently and pulling away.

"No, thank you, Leon," she said softly. "I'm feeling better now and you have work. But thank you."

"Any time," he said softly as she walked away, her mind already trying to recall the face of the mystery man.

Five steps later, Leon was forgotten.


	10. The Poisoned Chalice: Tragedy

The morning had been a hard one for all the servants, but especially Krysia, who had been in charge of making all of the arrangements for King Bayard of Mercia, their honored guest, and all his retinue.

She and Gaius passed Merlin, who was carrying a heavy bag and pouting.

"Why do I always get landed with the donkey work?" Merlin groaned. Krysia giggled.

"You're a servant, Merlin," Gaius said, amused. "It's what you do."

"Well, the lower ones, anyway," Krysia said with a snort. "If I'd ever tried to carry something that heavy one of the knights would have stepped in."

"You're much smaller," Gaius said with a dismissive air. "Besides, Merlin, it's character building. As the old proverb says, hard work breeds…a harder soul."

Krysia raised her eyebrow.

"There's no way that's a proverb," Merlin countered, sharing a look with Krysia. "You just made that up."

Krysia laughed and said, "Well, he may have said it to me before, but I don't doubt that there is no such proverb."

Before Gaius could defend himself, a young woman in the garb of Mercia's servants fell in front of Merlin in a way that Krysia was pretty sure was faked. She could have snorted. The girl was attractive, so what was she doing, trying to get Merlin's attention? Dark hair, bright eyes…. She could have been related to Morgana.

"Sorry," the girl said quickly.

"It's all right," Merlin said, watching the girl scramble to get the things she'd dropped.

"Excuse me," she muttered.

"Let me give you a hand with that."

Oh, the boy was so chivalrous it was almost sickening sometimes, and that was what women like this serving girl counted on. The nice ones were such easy bait.

"I'm Krysia," she said, holding out her hand as the two of them finished and straightened up. "I think I saw you at the welcoming. This is Merlin."

"Cara," the girl said, shaking Krysia's hand, then Merlin's. "You two serve Arthur. It must be such an honor."

Ah, so the girl wasn't after Merlin at all. She was foolish enough to think she could catch the eye of a prince. Perhaps she'd forgotten that, pretty as she was, clothing was the first thing any nobleman saw. She'd have no chance with any of the knights, much less Arthur.

"Oh, yeah," Merlin said, in that silly way he did when he was nervous and pleased at once. Poor boy was attracted to her. "It is. Well, you know, someone's got to keep the place running."

"Thank you, Merlin," the girl said sweetly.

"Hmm?" Merlin looked down at her burden absently. "Oh, right. Yeah. Er, no problem."

"It was nice meeting you both," Cara chirped, and Merlin watched her walk away.

That is, before Krysia slapped him upside the head.

"Don't you have a castle to run?" Krysia teased, a little bit bitterly.

After all, that was _her _job.

Gaius just laughed as they walked away.

/-/

The banquet was not a rare sort of occasion, but one of this magnitude and grandeur certainly wasn't an everyday occurrence. Krysia was frantic, making sure everything turned out perfect. Uther had a lot of faith in her, and she was not about to ruin that faith by being stupid about her duties.

However, she managed to get her work to a point where she was able to relax during the actual event, her job merely to oversee the other servants and personally serving Uther and Bayard. Uther said that Bayard had been impressed with her work, which was a pleasant bit of praise.

Gwen and Krysia were preparing cups for Morgana and Uther when Merlin approached with the ridiculous ceremonial garb, including a feathered hat. Gwen giggled.

"Nice hat," she teased.

"Thanks," Merlin muttered, obviously displeased with his outfit. In fact, Krysia noted that Merlin caught the eye of Cara and jerked the hat off his head quickly. Gwen had noticed too.

"She's pretty, isn't she?" Gwen said slowly. "For a handmaiden, I mean."

Krysia snorted.

"She's pretty for a princess," she countered, "but she's still only a handmaiden, and if she's smart she'll not forget it."

"Mmm," Gwen hummed in agreement.

Uther finished signing the treaty, grasping arms with Bayard as the room filled with applause. Without words of parting, Gwen and Krysia quickly moved to their proper places, awaiting the speeches.

"People of Camelot," Bayard said happily, "for a great many years we have been mortal enemies, and the blood of our men stains the ground from the walls of Camelot to the gates of Mercia. And though we remember those who died, we must not allow anymore to join them."

A serving girl of Mercia brought in a box on cue and walked as a good servant would in such a circumstance up to the two rulers with deference in her every step.

"As a symbol of our goodwill," Bayard continued, "and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to you, Uther, and to your son, Arthur, in the hope that our friendship may last. The wounds we received in battle…"

But Krysia had stopped listening. She was looking over at Merlin after Gaius had caught her eye and directed her attention. Cara was talking to him, and after several moments Merlin looked around and left the hall with the girl.

Either Cara was very presumptuous or something was wrong, but Krysia was not in any position to find out. She could not leave the hall without causing a scandal.

"Tonight we toast a new beginning for our peoples," Bayard continued. "We look towards a future free from the toils of war."

The entire time Merlin was out of the hall Krysia had a hard time listening to the speech, which she thought ought to be ending about three different times as she filled the cups of Arthur and Uther, who were too busy to notice that Arthur's servant was missing.

"And may the differences from our past remain there," Bayard said finally. "To your health, Uther."

The whole of the crowd stood to toast, obviously waiting for those words, but the windbag King Bayard was not quite finished.

"Arthur."

Arthur moved to drink, but once again, it was not done.

"The Lady Morgana."

Arthur waited this time, glancing over at Krysia with thinly veiled annoyance. She would have giggled, but she knew her place and the protocol as much as he did. Bayard was an honored guest, and they could both easily be seen by everyone in the hall if they made any sort of sleight.

"The people of Camelot."

Beginning to drink again, Arthur was this time cut off not by Bayard, but by Uther, who seemed more into the toast than anyone in the room.

"And to the fallen warriors on both sides," he added, in what Krysia thought was a fitting and regal sort of gesture.

This time, everyone had lifted their cups to drink, and when it seemed Arthur would finally get to drink from his new ceremonial goblet, Krysia was horrified to hear Merlin cry, "Stop!"

She felt a bit sick.

He rushed in, rushed forward, and continued to rave in a most unfitting manner.

"It's poisoned! Don't drink it!"

Merlin hurried up and took the goblet from Arthur and Krysia was getting a very, very bad feeling about this. She, too, hurried forward, although she wasn't sure whether or not to censure Merlin or support him, and she wished Gaius's voice was in her head telling her what to do.

"What?" Uther demanded.

"Merlin, what has gotten into you?" she settled for, knowing that it was giving him a chance to try to explain himself while still doing her job.

Krysia appreciated rare moments like this when she could do her job properly and still clean up after Merlin, but he usually was bad about making her life difficult.

"Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison," Merlin explained, and Krysia had so hoped that he was going to have some other explanation for everything.

"This is an outrage!" Bayard cried, as well he probably should, and he and his men drew their swords in response to Merlin's statement. In response to this action, every knight of Camelot also drew their swords, and Krysia was very much aware that she was standing between the drawn iron of the two factions without a stitch of armor.

"Order your men to put down their swords," Uther said calmly, moving Krysia behind the table deftly to keep her from being injured by accident. She noted that he made no such move for Merlin, although the guards were rushing in and Krysia held her breath as Uther gripped her upper arm, holding her away from the knights of Mercia. "You are outnumbered," he continued, nodding to the guards who had just arrived.

"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!" Bayard demanded.

"On what grounds do you base this accusation?" Uther asked Merlin in his most stern voice, the voice Krysia faintly recalled from her childhood, asking her questions about who she was and where she came from.

"I'll handle this," Arthur said softly, more for Krysia's benefit than anything.

He'd caught on fairly quickly that she'd been set the difficult task of keeping Merlin out of trouble, and whether or not he'd actually developed some measure of fondness for Merlin, Arthur at least seemed to want to smooth over his mistakes for Krysia's sake, if nothing else.

Arthur made his way around the table and grabbed Merlin by the arm, taking the goblet from him.

"Merlin, you idiot," Arthur said loud enough for Bayard to hear, "have we been at the sloe gin again?"

"Unless you want to be strung up," Uther continued more firmly, even squeezing Krysia's arm slightly, "you will tell me why you think it's poisoned now."

"He was seen lacing it," Merlin said.

"By whom?"

"I can't say," Merlin admitted.

Cara. Cara had been the one to tell him, which was why she'd taken him out of the hall. Something was certainly smelling fishier by the second, but Krysia couldn't decide whether it was Cara or Bayard or both.

"I won't listen to this anymore," Bayard snapped.

"Pass me the goblet," Uther said calmly, letting go of Krysia's arm as Arthur passed it to him. "If you're telling the truth…"

"I am," Bayard insisted.

"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?" Uther said coldly.

As if a king could argue with that.

Bayard, predictably, sheathed his sword and reached for the goblet, but Uther did not hand it to him.

"No," he said in a voice that made Krysia's skin crawl. "If this does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself."

Bayard snorted, and Uther held up the goblet to Merlin.

Krysia could feel her heart pounded in her ears as Uther said, "He'll drink it."

"But if it is poisoned, he'll die!" Krysia said, horrified, half because of what was happening, half because she'd so inappropriately spoken out of turn.

"Then we'll know he was telling the truth," Uther replied.

Krysia had always known Uther was a hard man. He had ironically taken her whole family from her, and then unknowingly facilitated her raising. He'd taken a special interest in her because she was around Morgana and Arthur's age, because she was pretty and talented and capable. But this was a chilling reminder that he was also incredibly cruel.

"And what if he lives?" Bayard demanded.

"Then you have my apologies," Uther conceded, "and you can do with him what you will."

Krysia stood there, unsure whether she wished for the goblet to be poisoned or not.

"Uther, please!" Gaius said, standing up. "He's just a boy! He doesn't know what he's saying!"

"Then you should have schooled him better," Uther said coldly.

"Merlin, apologize," Arthur demanded. "This is a mistake. I'll drink it."

A sudden fear gripped Krysia and she realized that she and Merlin could not take that risk. Arthur could not drink, and Krysia had to hope that Merlin was poisoned in a way she could cure.

"No," she said firmly. "No, no, it's fine. Merlin will drink it, Arthur. It's his job."

Merlin gave her a steady look that said he was grateful, that he understood, but Gaius was clearly outraged. Merlin toasted Bayard, then Arthur, and then took a drink. Krysia gripped the table, forgetting herself as she awaited Merlin's fate, not daring to wish for any outcome over another.

"It's fine," Merlin said, and Krysia's grip did not relax.

"He's all yours," Uther said to Bayard, but it was a moment too soon.

Not even seconds later, Merlin began to choke before falling to the floor, unconscious.

"It's poisoned," Uther said, still callous to the boy lying, dying, on his floor. "Guards, seize him!"

As chaos reigned in the hall, Krysia, Gaius, Gwen, and Arthur all hovered around Merlin, rushing to see how he fared.

"Merlin," Gaius said firmly, with no response. "Can you hear me?" Still nothing. "We have to get him back to my chambers," Gaius told his eager attendants. "Bring the goblet. I need to identify the poison."

Arthur picked up Merlin with ease and Gwen picked up the goblet, handing it to Krysia who wrapped it on a cloth and carried it back to Gaius's chambers.

"Get him on the bed," Krysia ordered Arthur as soon as they arrived. "He can't breathe. I need water and a towel."

After so many years of working with Gaius, her instincts kicked in, and Gaius had taken the goblet from her, unwrapping it and setting it on a nearby table.

"Is he gonna be all right?" Arthur asked, doing as she bid.

"He's burning up," Gaius said, examining Merlin carefully.

"Can we help him?" Krysia whispered, taking the towel from Gwen and administering it to Merlin's forehead gently.

"I won't know until I can identify the poison," Gaius said. "Pass me the goblet."

Gwen did as she was asked and Gaius began to examine it more closely while Krysia took care of Merlin.

"Ah," he said. "There's something stuck on the inside."

"What?" Krysia asked sharply.

"It looks like a flower petal of some kind."

Krysia moved to get a book off the shelf and Gwen took over at Merlin's side.

"His brow's on fire," Gwen remarked.

"Keep him as cool as you can," Krysia instructed, putting the book down on the table between her and Gaius. "His fever needs to be kept in check as best as we can."

Gaius flipped through the book quickly, looking for a match.

"Ah," he murmured. "The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree."

"That's not particularly friendly," Arthur remarked dryly.

"If I remember correctly," Krysia said with a shrewd narrowing of her eyes, "a Cockatrice guards that forest. And venom from a Cockatrice is nearly as bad as what we're dealing with here. Maybe worse because you're basically dead right away, no chance of redemption. It's not a well-travelled path."

"Sounds like fun," Arthur continued in his dry tone.

"Arthur, it's too dangerous," Gaius cautioned.

But Krysia knew that Arthur had already made up his mind.

"How will Merlin die if we do not get this leaf?" she whispered.

"The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death," Gaius said reluctantly. "He may hold out four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually, he will die."

/-/

The following day Krysia received word that Arthur had left the castle against the orders of Uther, who had forbade him to search for the flower. Leon was going through fits about it, but he gave her the things she asked to be brought to the physician's chamber without too much question. He'd become fond of Merlin, as so many at court had.

"He's getting hotter," Gwen said nervously.

But what was even worse was when Merlin began muttering spells in his unconscious state moments later.

"_Him. Liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf."_

Nervous, Krysia quickly said, "Gwen, I've brought some more towels. Leon fetched them for me."

Gwen barely noticed the towels as she took them from Krysia.

"What language is that?" Gwen asked curiously.

"None," Gaius said sharply. "The fever's taken hold. None of those words are his own. His pulse is weaker."

Gaius turned over Merlin's arm to reveal a circular rash.

"What is it?" Krysia asked, stepping back slightly in case it might be contagious somehow.

"That can't be right," Gaius said, frowning at the mark. "The rash is not supposed to appear until the final stage."

"What does that mean?" Gwen pressed.

Krysia took the book and pulled it closer to her, reading it out loud for Gwen's benefit.

"It says, 'once a rash appears, death will follow within two days.'"

Gwen rounded on Gaius.

"You said he had four days," she reminded him, fear in her voice.

"Something's increased the flower's potency," Gaius deduced, taking the book back and reading it with his magnifying glass. "It warns that 'the effect of the Mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation.'"

"Magic," Krysia whispered, touching Merlin's sweaty brow thoughtfully. "But Bayard is not a sorcerer, Gaius."

"No, he isn't," Gaius agreed solemnly.

"Then who did this?" Gwen asked softly.

And suddenly the memory of what had happened at the feast, the warning Merlin was given, the behavior of Cara, the egg Krysia had found….

"Gaius," she whispered. "You don't think…."

"Think what?" Gwen pressed.

Gaius seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"What happened to that girl?" he asked.

"Cara," Krysia whispered, running a damp cloth along Merlin's brow.

"Just before Merlin burst into the hall one of Bayard's serving girls took him outside," Gaius reminded Gwen.

"She had dark hair," Gwen recalled. "Very beautiful."

"You need to find her, Gwen," Krysia whispered. "You need to find her now. Act in my name if you have to."

Merlin began to mumble again.

_"Arthur... swa…"_

Krysia soothed him as Gwen rushed out of the chambers.

There might not be time.


	11. The Poisoned Chalice: Destiny

Krysia and Gaius were tending Merlin when Gwen returned, distressed.

"Let me guess," Gaius said as he continued to inspect the rash, "she wasn't there."

"No one has seen her since the banquet," Gwen confirmed, moving closer to help Krysia cool Merlin's brow. "Who is she?"

"She's certainly not a servant of Bayard," Krysia said dryly, tempted to cool the water once more with magic but too afraid to do so with Gwen in the room.

"But you know who she is, don't you, Gaius?" Gwen pressed.

"Cara," Gaius said, still looking at the rash. "Though, that's not her name. Not her real name, anyway."

"Who is she?" Krysia pressed.

"A powerful sorceress," Gaius muttered, as though that ended the matter, but Gwen, at least, didn't seem to think the matter was finished at all.

"Well, we should tell Uther," she pressed. "Maybe he could send out riders after her."

Krysia shook her head, finding a fresh cloth.

"Even an unskilled rider would be far away by now," she said, carrying some fresh rags back to where Merlin was spread out. "There's no way of knowing where she went or…or…"

She dropped the cloth into the bowl and looked at Gaius, who seemed to realize it at the moment she did.

"What?" Gwen asked, looking between Krysia and Gaius.

"She knows the only place the antidote can be found is the Forest of Balor," Gaius explained. "Arthur could be walking into a trap."

"Arthur," Merlin muttered in his unconsciousness and Krysia could feel her stomach twist. "Arthur."

They sent Gwen after water and Krysia whispered, "I should go after him, I should help him."

"You do your mother's memory no service in trying to battle a sorceress with twice your strength," Gaius chided. "You can do more for Merlin from here."

Krysia didn't believe him, but she was too afraid to find out if he was right, and so she simply stayed at Merlin's side. He continued to mutter in his unconsciousness, and she could not get the feeling of dread out of her stomach.

Not twenty minutes later, Merlin mumbled, "Arthur, it...it's a trap. It's a trap."

Krysia gripped the bucket she'd been handed by Gwen, trying not to panic.

"His fever's getting worse, isn't it?" Gwen said sadly.

"Yes," Krysia sighed, trying to calm herself. "The poison is beginning to take over."

Merlin whispered again.

"_Eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume._"

Krysia did her best not to look up at Gaius and ask what he was saying.

"Shh," Gaius said soothingly, brushing some hair off Merlin's sticky forehead. He turned to Gwen. "Could you fetch me some more Wolfsbane?"

"We'll both go," Krysia said, feeling the need for air, and Gaius nodded.

As she closed the door behind herself and Gwen, Krysia heard Gaius saying, "Merlin, you must fight it."

/-/

When Gwen and Krysia learned of Arthur's return, they thought it would mean the flower had been retrieved for Merlin, that he would see them soon with the cure. They were surprised to find that they and Gaius were still waiting.

"He hasn't got much longer," Gaius said anxiously. "Has Arthur got the flower?"

"We can't be sure," Krysia sighed, pacing. "Leon said that Uther isn't allowing anyone to see him. Is there anything we can do?"

"Only the leaf of the Mortaeus flower can save him," Gaius said, brushing his fingers against Merlin's sweaty brow.

"And we've got to find out if Arthur has it," Gwen said, looking down at Merlin. Then she looked up at Krysia with determination in her brown eyes. "We could sneak into the dungeon."

"And get our heads chopped off for our efforts?" Krysia said, stunned. Directly defying Uther was not on her to-do list.

"We've got to," Gwen insisted. "Merlin will die if we don't."

Krysia watched as Merlin struggled to breathe and she sighed, capitulating with a nod.

"Be careful," Gaius cautioned as the two girls made for the door.

They gathered together a tray of dinner and made their way down to the dungeons.

"I hope nobody's fed him yet," Krysia hissed.

"You just said nobody had," Gwen said, rolling her eyes. "It'll be fine."

They reached the guard, who looked down at them with a frown.

"Food for Arthur," Krysia said in her boldest voice, the one she used for ordering the servants.

The door was unlocked and Arthur, who was sitting on the floor, motioned to the table and said, "Put it over there."

Gwen did as ordered, setting the tray on the table, and the girls turned to leave when Arthur said, "Wait!" They turned back to find that he had pushed away the tray and sat back on the floor. "I couldn't possibly eat this," he snapped. "The state it's in, I'm not sure it's fit for anyone."

Krysia looked at the tray to find the flower there and she smiled slightly. Without a word she nodded at him and picked up the tray and the girls left the cell.

"Krysia! Wait!" the guard called, and she froze, turning to look at him. Her heart raced as he picked over the plate. He then took a piece of bread and winked at her. "Waste not, want not, eh? We're not all as precious as our Royal Highness."

Krysia turned to leave as another girl came with a fresh tray.

"Food for Prince Arthur."

"Stay where you are!" the guard said sharply, but Gwen had already grabbed the flower and Krysia dropped the tray, the two girls running back to Gaius as fast as they could.

As soon as they arrived, closing the door behind them, Gwen asked, "How is he?"

"Have you got the Mortaeus?" Gaius asked, looking up at them.

"Gwen has it," Krysia said, gesturing, and Gwen handed the flower to Gaius. Gwen then sat beside Merlin as Gaius began crushing the leaf.

"His breathing's much worse," Gaius said as he worked. "We have to hurry."

And then suddenly, he paused, looking at Krysia, and she knew what he was going to ask of her.

"Why have you stopped?" Gwen demanded, and Krysia felt her throat tighten.

"He was poisoned with magic," Krysia explained. "The antidote might require magic as well."

"But we can't," Gwen said simply. "It's forbidden. Even if we could."

"I'll try and make it work without it," Gaius said. "Oh, and I'll need some fresh water."

He handed Gwen a bowl and the girl rushed out. He then held up the crushed leaf in front of Krysia.

"Gaius, I can't."

"If you don't," Gaius said solemnly, "he will die. I am too out of practice, Krysia. It has to be you."

Her hands shook as she touched the bowl, swallowing. Gaius would never ask her to use magic unless it was necessary, but it still made her whole body tremble.

"_Sythan arrest wearth feasceaft funden. Denum æfter dome. Dreamleas gebad he gewinnes longsum._"

The potion bubbled and foamed for a moment before it calmed. Gwen rushed back in a moment later with the bowl of water in hand, handing it to Krysia before returning to Merlin's side.

"Thank you," Gaius said, pouring the potion into a cup. "Hold his nose," he told Gwen as he approached Merlin, and she did so, pinching it as Gaius held the cup up to Merlin's lips. Krysia closed her eyes for a moment and hoped that she had not failed.

"Swallow it," she whispered as Gaius began to pour the potion into Merlin's mouth.

"He's stopped breathing," Gwen said nervously. "What's happening? Gaius?"

Krysia, too, stopped breathing as Gaius put his head to Merlin's chest, listening.

"His heart's stopped," Gaius said softly.

And Krysia's heart stopped for a moment, too.

"Dead?" she breathed, moving a bit closer, feeling sick to her stomach.

"He can't be," Gaius murmured. "He can't be. It was his destiny." Gaius stood up and Krysia sank into a seat on the bench.

"It's my fault," Gwen gasped. "If I'd gotten here sooner, if I'd been quicker…"

"No," Krysia croaked, closing her eyes as she added Merlin's face to the list of people who were dead because of her. "No, it was my fault." Her voice broke and Gaius sat beside her, pulling her head against his shoulder and cradling her as she cried. She hadn't even realized how fond she'd become of Merlin until he was dead.

"That's disgusting," Merlin rasped. "You should be ashamed of yourself. You're old enough to be her grandfather."

Krysia's head jerked up to see a very pale Merlin watching them.

"Merlin!" Gaius cried, surprised. "You're alive!"

"But," Krysia spluttered. "But…"

She had saved him.

Gwen rushed forward and kissed Merlin, looking surprised that she had done so.

"Sorry," she said quickly, "I'm just…. I thought you were dead."

"It's fine," Merlin assured her. "It's more than fine…. erm…. What happened? The last thing I remember is drinking the wine."

/-/

Krysia was not sure how Gaius had talked Uther down from war with Mercia and convinced him that Bayard was innocent, but thankfully it occurred and Krysia found herself leading a party to deliver a tapestry to Bayard in his quarters as he prepared to leave Camelot the following day.

"Here is the tapestry Uther has declared as a gift to you, my lord," Krysia said, gesturing to where the servants stood, carrying the tapestry.

"Very good," Bayard said, ordering the men to take the tapestry to where his party was packing for his return to Mercia, and when Krysia moved to follow them and ensure the carrying out of the order, she was surprised that Bayard motioned for her to stay. He closed the door and Krysia felt a sudden urge to run.

"I know your secret, my lady," Bayard said softly, turning back to face her with a smirk turning at the corner of his lips.

She struggled not to take a step backward and give away her hand.

"I am afraid I know not what you mean, my lord," she said softly, and he smiled all the more proud, taking a step toward her and taking a loose strand of her hair in his gloved hand.

"I would recognize the daughter of Lady Zosia anywhere, in any clothes," he said softly. "She would not marry me in spite of my constant and aggressive attempts of courtship. She would not leave Camelot." He smiled at her, dropping the hair, but not his hand, which hovered by her face. "I'm amazed that Uther has not recognized you. You look out of place in these rags, my lady. You belong in silks and ermine, covered in jewels, a rival in beauty and grace to every queen and princess in the land."

"I don't know," she began, hoping to hide behind her amnesia, but Bayard anticipated her move.

"You know who you are, Krysia," he whispered. "It shows in your eyes, in the way you carry yourself, in the finery of your features - for anyone who is looking."

Krysia could feel her heart racing, could just imagine all the ways Uther might kill her for her childhood crimes and her treachery all the years since.

"You'll have me killed?" Krysia whispered, turning away and recalling the execution she had seen on the day Merlin came to Camelot. That was going to be her, just as she had long feared.

Bayard smiled at her and touched her hair again.

"I have no intention to condemn you to death," he murmured. "I have already asked Uther to purchase you, although he is very reluctant to part with you. I have leverage now, though, with his treatment of me. I could take you away a servant and reveal you in Mercia. My son found you very pretty, and I know I could marry you to him. I could make you a queen."

Her head was spinning. She half-recalled the face of Bayard's son. He was handsome.

But he was not the man in her dream. She closed her eyes, attempting to call forth the image of that dream.

She couldn't be certain, but her heart told her that it was in Camelot.

"My place," she said firmly, "is here in Camelot, my lord. I apologise," she continued quickly when his face darkened.

"There is no need to apology, Lady Krysia," he whispered, eyes still dark as he lifted her hand to his lips, lingering in the act as he stared at her. "I will say nothing of your true identity to anyone, lady. I swear on my honor as a knight to protect your secret, even to my grave. Know, though, that as long as I live, you will ever have a friend in Mercia. If ever you need or want to leave Camelot, my hospitality still stands."

"My thanks," she said, stunned. "I...I have matters to attend…"

"Of course."

Bayard kissed her hand once more before he let her leave. Krysia's head still spun as she ran down the hall to Gaius's chambers.

She slid inside, quickly telling Merlin and Gaius everything that had just happened, Merlin's eyes growing wide the more she explained.

"He wanted me to go with him to Mercia, to unveil my secrets and to marry his son," Krysia whispered, brushing hair out of her eyes. "He basically said he would make me a queen."

Merlin raised his eyebrows.

"Why are you staying?" he asked.

Krysia shrugged, thinking about her time with the dragon, thinking about the man she had seen in her dreams. This man, her future, was not the son of Bayard. She knew Merlin would take being noble to being a servant any day, but Krysia had spent time doing both and she rather appreciated being able to pass unseen.

"I belong here," she said firmly.

Merlin seemed to understand her hidden meaning, but Gaius seemed troubled by her tale.

"He could tell Uther," he began, concerned.

But Krysia knew he would not. She might not like the man, but she could see that he had loved her mother, and that he would protect Krysia's secret for the sake of the memory of her lady mother.

"He won't," she said, ignoring the uneasy expression on Gaius's face. "I have things to see to, Gaius. Do you have any errands you want me to run?"

Gaius told her that no, he did not, and she nodded, going off about her day.

That evening, they were sitting around the table, eating dinner, when Arthur entered the physician's chambers looking rather serious.

"Still alive, then?" he said in his stoic way he put on when he didn't want to appear sentimental. Krysia just smirked into her drink.

"Oh," Merlin said. "Yeah, just about. I understand I have you to thank for that."

"Yeah, well, it was nothing," Arthur lied. "A half-decent servant is hard to come by. I was only dropping by to make sure you're all right. I expect you to be back to work tomorrow."

Before Merlin had a chance to stick his foot in things, Krysia nodded and smiled, quickly saying, "Oh, he'll be there, Arthur. And he'll be early if I have anything to say about it."

Arthur nodded at her and then turned to leave, but Merlin said, "Arthur," and he paused. "Thank you."

"You too," Arthur said softly. "Get some rest."

And then he left them there, closing the door behind him.

"Arthur may give you a hard time," Gaius said softly, "but at heart he's a man of honor. There aren't many who'd have risked what he did for a servant."

"And to think that if I hadn't risked the same that it would have all been for naught," Krysia sighed, pouring herself more water. She still began to shake when thinking of doing the spell, despite the success of the antidote.

"Eat your dinner," Gaius chided. Krysia and Merlin shared a smirk and turned back to their food.

"I still don't understand why she went to all the trouble of framing Bayard," Merlin said thoughtfully. "She could have just kept quiet and killed Arthur."

"But destroying Arthur and Camelot wasn't all she was after," Gaius explained. "She knew you would be forced to drink that wine, and that if you were to be saved that Krysia would have to use magic. It was you two that she wanted to kill. Seems someone else knows you're destined for great things."

Krysia pushed aside her dinner, muttering that she was tired, and quickly crawled into bed, feeling both nauseous and weak as she trembled under her blankets. A powerful sorceress wanted her dead. She closed her eyes and saw the face of the man again, and she shivered once more.

Destiny was a heavy burden.

Maybe an hour later, Krysia was still staring at the ceiling. Merlin opened the door and gave her a sad smile, climbing into bed.

"Feels surprisingly good, this thing," he said with a hollow laugh. "You know, after nearly dying."

She gave him a half-smile in the near-darkness that she couldn't be sure he could see.

"Are you afraid?" he finally asked.

She just looked at his shadow from across the room as he pulled his covers up to his chest.

"Yes," she said after a moment. "Yes, I'm afraid. But I'm always afraid, Merlin. It's not a bad thing for you to learn. It's kept me alive for years."

Merlin shifted onto his side, looking up in her direction.

"Then why didn't you go with Bayard?"

"I told you-"

"You need to be here. Is it something to do with your destiny? Does it have to be here? Did you talk to the dragon again?"

Krysia sighed, deciding after quick consideration that a half-truth was best.

"I've been having dreams," she explained. "About the man I'm supposed to have these children with. And…and I'm certain they're in Camelot. This is where I meet him, this is where the children are born. How can any of that happen if I got off to Mercia under the understanding that I marry the son of Bayard and become the future queen of Mercia?"

Merlin was silent for a moment. Then he said slowly, "Are dreams like this common? Have you talked to Gaius?"

Krysia could feel herself blush.

Why was it that he could be practical and sensible at the worst possible times?

"No and no," she whispered. "And you'd better not tell him, either."

After another, shorter silence, Merlin whispered back, "Not a word."


End file.
